The concerns over shortening of the existing runway at the Calicut International Airport have begun to blow over with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) inviting tenders for the Runway End Safety Area (RESA) extension.
The existing RESA at both ends of the runway should be extended to 240 metres for larger flights to operate from Karipur. As the airport has a tabletop runway, the RESA expansion could be possible only by building huge embankments at eastern and western ends of the runway, for which additional land has to be acquired.
The State government too has expedited the land acquisition process in the light of the AAI inviting tenders for RESA expansion. As per the tender notice, the project involving embankment building with slope protection and drainage system is estimated to cost ₹402.18 crore.
The work can begin in three months after fixing the tender. This grace period has given an apparent leverage for the State government to acquire the land required for the project.
Meanwhile, the government issued a final notification for acquiring 14.5 acre from Nediyiruppu and Pallikkal villages. When 7.5 acre is to be acquired from Nediyiruppu, seven acre will be acquired from Pallikkal. In Nediyiruppu, there are 54 land holders, and in Pallikkal there are 26 land holders.
The Revenue department issued notices to the land holders to submit their details for the acquisition. The officials on Thursday started examining the land details as the land holders approached them.
Officials said here on Friday that people’s complaints would be addressed even while examining land details. The government is planning to acquire and hand over the land to AAI by September 15.
Meanwhile, Airport Advisory Committee Chairman Abdussamad Samadani, MP, requested the Civil Aviation Minister to adopt measures to restart the operation of wide-body flights from Karipur without waiting for completion of the RESA expansion.
Welcoming the AAI move to carry out the RESA expansion work, Mr. Samadani said that the whole Malabar had heaved a sigh of relief at AAI’s decision. The AAI had earlier threatened to go ahead with the RESA extension work by curtailing the existing runway as the State government had delayed the land acquisition process.
