By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : The consortium awarded the contract to build the $440-million airport at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district of Kerala that includes the Anil Ambani Group hopes to start work soon after a clearance from the central government.
Named KGS Aranmula Airport, the project will be spread over 500 acres and cost Rs.2,000 crore (about $440 million). It will prove to be a boon to people, notably non-resident Indians wishing to offer prayers at the Sabarimala temple there, officials said.
“The state government gave its green signal in September. Other clearances too have come and once the civil aviation ministry committee approves it, we will be on track to build the airport,” said an official from the consortium, requesting anonymity.
“We already have the site clearance from the ministry and the Airports Authority of India (AAI),” the official said about the Greenfield project, which will be the fifth airport in the state.
The consortium of KGS Aranmula Airport is led by the Chennai-based KGS Developers and includes the Anil Ambani Group Aranmula Aviation and chairman Abraham Kalamannil. It will serve four districts — Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki and Alappuzha.
Aranmula is located 128 km from state capital Thiruvananthapuram on the bank of Pampa river. The nearest railway station is Chengannur, 10 km away, while the two nearest airports are at Kochi, 132 km away, and Thiruvananthapuram.