Kannur airport to be operational in September 2018

International and domestic airline firms have expressed interest to operate from the Kannur airport The Civil Aviation Ministry has accorded permission for Jet Airways to conduct a service to Abu Dhabi and GoAir to Dammam The length of the runway will be expanded from 3050 metres to to 4000 metres and steps for acquiring land for the same is progressing

The Kannur international airport would be ready for operation in September 2018, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Tuesday. 

Addressing the 8th general body meeting of the Kannur International Airport Ltd in Thiruvananthapuram, Pinarayi said good progress has been made in the work of the airport, the fourth in the state, coming up at Mattanur.

The CM said that international and domestic airline firms have expressed interest to operate from the airport. The Civil Aviation Ministry has accorded permission for Jet Airways to conduct a service to Abu Dhabi and GoAir to Dammam, he added. 

It has also been decided to expand the length of runway from 3050 metres to to 4000 metres and steps for acquiring land for the same is progressing, Pinarayi said. 

The work of the runway and integrated terminal would be completed by January. It as been planned to complete the passenger boarding terminal by March, it was revealed. 

Pinarayi also said co-operative societies can take shares in the airport company. The Rs 1,892 crore-airport is being built on 2,000 acres.