Mattannur MLA fasts alleging airport neglect

KOZHIKODE: CPM leader  E.P.  Jayarajan, Mattannur MLA, staged a hunger strike in front of Kannur international airport project office alleging that the state government was making a   covert move to hinder the development of Kannur airport and Malabar region. He asked the government to abandon the idea to cut off the runway length, start  the construction of connecting roads to the airport and implement the rehabilitation package declared by the previous LDF government. CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan inaugurated the protest.

Addressing the protesters, Mr Balakrishnan  said that the Oommen Chandy government was showing stepmotherly  attitude to the Kannur airport development.

“Instead of landing one aircraft, the government should focus on starting the services on time. Oommen Chandy has no idea  when they can start the service. Instead,  he wanted just one aircraft to land. That would have been possible even during the term of the previous LDF government,” he said.

“For the development of airport, 4000 metres of runway is essential. Kannur airport issue is developmental issue and not political,” he added.

Meanwhile,  Kannur International Airport Authority chief project engineer Kuriakose P. Jose said that the runway work on  3050 metres would be complete as scheduled on May, 2016.

“The runway work is in progress and in December during the trial landing, the runway would be over 2400 metres. Further extension of runway to 3400 metres will be possible after the acquisition of land. We are even ready for 4000 metres of  runway if the government asks for it.  However we need to have land also for the purpose,” he added.