(Image source from: Thehindu.com)

Green Signal for Sabarimala Airport:- The union ministry of Civil Aviation has granted permission for a site for the Sabarimala Greenfield Airport project. After many inspections, the civil aviation ministry has given clearance at Cheruvally estate in the Kottayam district. Kerala Industrial Development Corporation is going to follow up on the process of land acquisition. A company for airport construction and operations will be set up soon and later a detailed report will be out.

Currently Thiruvananthapuram-based organization is carrying out a study over acquiring the private lands, confirmed special officer V Tulsidas. The government is planning to acquire 370 acres of land. Earlier the nearest airport to reach Sabirimala was Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, which is about 160km and 170km to Sabirimala. Now this new airport will provide easy travel for pilgrims to reach Sabarimala. The new airport is expected to develop around 5 districts surrounded by the adjacent hill region.

The Travancore area is going to see development with the new airport. Lok Sabha MP and Civil Aviation Committee Anto Antony addressed the same. He said, site clearance has taken the step ahead for the dreams of having an airport in the region. Central Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has to give clearance and definitely that is not going to be a problem after getting clearance from Aviation.