Clamour for new airport casts shadow over Karipur

KOZHIKODE: With an influential group vehemently arguing for a new greenfield airport at Thiruvambady in the district, the prospects of Karipur has become bleak. Malabar Development Forum, however, firmly bats for improving standards of the Calicut International Airport in Malappuram to operate wide-bodied aircraft. “A second airport, promoted by some political parties or business lobbies, which would undermine the existing airport, is just a waste of money,” its president K.M. Basheer told DC.

He says derecognising Karipur as a Hajj embarkation point citing lack of facilities was part of their strategy, while the civil aviation ministry had accorded the status to C-Class airports with shorter runways like Aurangabad, Ranchi and Varanasi. "We suspect a lobby behind the move. Karipur has been closed to large aircraft citing the lack of sufficient length for its runway, putting its international status in jeopardy," he said. But Malabar Development Council chief C.E. Chakkunny considers a new airport as a need of the hour since the future of Karipur airport is bleak.

"The Malabar international airport at Thiruvambady will in no way be a burden on the government, or harm the Karipur or Kannur airports," he told DC. "Many firms have come forward to undertake the project. So it will not be a burden on the state or Union governments. To make it a reality, we need the state's support." After the Calicut airport had stopped services of Code E aircraft from 2015, passengers and pilgrims were in trouble as they had to rely on other airports, he added.