DGCA approves work at Karipur airport

KOZHIKODE: The Director General of Civil Aviation has approved the runway recarpeting works at Kozhikode International Airport. The works will begin on September 23. E. Ahammed MP has confirmed the DGCA approval for the works, which has been delayed for nearly a month.

There have been widespread protests against the delay in the commencement of works at Kozhikode International Airport and against the partial closure of the airport.

The Malabar Chamber of Commerce members had been on a relay hunger strike at Kozhikode, demanding that works for re-carpeting the runway be started immediately.

Following the confirmation about the DGCA approval and date of commencement of the works, the Malabar Chamber of Commerce has called off the 8-day-long hunger strike.

“They have been citing the lack of approval as the delay in commencement of work. Now it has been resolved and they have announced the dates for starting the works. So we have decided to call off our strike,” C.E. Chakkunny, president of Malabar Development Council and chairman of airport committee of the chamber told Deccan Chronicle.

He said the Airport Authority of India had called the members of the Malabar Development  Council for a meeting in Chennai to discuss the Kozhikode International Airport issue.

“In the meeting we will demand that operations of mid-sized aircraft from Kozhikode be restarted. Safety experts of various airlines had visited Kozhi-kode and had expressed their willingness to operate mid-sized aircraft. We also demand that the suspended Kozhikode-Coimbatore-Delhi flight should resume its services,”  Mr Chakkunny said.

He also said that the AAI should give clearance to Srilankan Airlines to start operations from Kozhikode. “The Sri Lankan Airlines authorities had been trying to start their services from Kozhikode.

They are offering small and medium sized aircraft and our airport in the present condition can allow their operation,” he added.