The Centre has given the green signal for the proposed airport at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district, Anto Antony, Congress MP said today.
He said Kerala government has given sanction for the airport during the previous LDF regime led by then Chief Minister, V S Achuthanandan.
The MP said here that the government has given in principle sanction to build a Greenfield airport in about 500 acres at Aranmula, Mallpuzhassery and Kidunganoor villages in the district and constitute a Single Window Clearance Board for the purpose.
The terms of reference was fixed by the government in the presence of Achuthanandan in 2009. A one year environment impact study was done and the report was submitted to the centre. The environment clearance was sanctioned on May 10, 2011, he said.
The total expenditure for the project with a 3.1 km runway, is estimated at Rs 2,000 crore and it would be completed within 18 months, he said.