Tender for the runway of the Rs 1,400-crore Kannur International Airport in Kerala will be ready by next Tuesday (January 15).

Minister for Ports and Airports K. Babu announced this during a session on ‘Investment opportunities’ at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here on Wednesday.

FOURTH IN STATE

The first flight would take off from the new international airport, fourth in the State, by 2015, he told non-residents on the final day of the three-day convention.

As much as 49 per cent of the equity is open for subscriptions by the public. Babu invited non-resident investments into the PPP project.

Environment impact assessment (EIA) report is pending for clearance with the authorities in Delhi.

The third stage of the land acquisition procedure is now in the final stages, the Minister added.

SOFT LOAN

Separately, Babu said that the State Government has come out with a scheme of subsidy of Re 1 per km for each tonne of freight moved alongcoastal waters.

Soft loan is being made available for manufacture of special carriers that can navigate the canals with relatively smaller draft.

A Rs 750-crore tender has been given to Malabar Ports Company to develop the Ponnani port as part of the scheme to develop a chain ofminor ports in the State.

An agreement has been signed for setting up a cement terminal at the Kollam port, which is being developed on the ‘landlord’ model.

A similar course is being proposed with the Azhikkal port towards the north of the State, the minister added.

VIZHINJAM PORT

As for the Vizhinjam port and container transhipment terminal, the Minister said the EIA clearance is expectedwithin the next three months.

The procedure has been delayed since the study had to be carried during the period encompassing the two annual monsoons in the State.

Even as the EIA is getting cleared, steps are under way to proceed with the other tenders with respect to the Vizhinjam project, he said.

> vinson.kurian@thehindu.co.in

> sajeevkumar.v@thehindu.co.in

Related Topics