The move for an international airport at Aranmula seems to have gained renewed momentum with the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests approving another round of environmental impact assessment.
The expert committee of the ministry is learnt to have allowed the promoters, the Chennai-based KGS Group, to go ahead with a second EIA. The Chennai bench of the Green Tribunal had in May last year cancelled the environmental clearance for the airport which has been opposed by the BJP on religious and heritage grounds and environmental protection organisations on environmental grounds.
Following the Green Bench decision which pointed out flaws in the EIA, the KGS Group in April this year sought permission for carrying out EIA afresh.
The Union Civil Aviation Ministry and the Defence Ministry have refused to give no-objection to the airport project. But, the permission for the fresh EIA signals the processing of the project proposal from the scratch.
KGS is planning to build a ₹2,000-crore greenfield airport in the partnership with the State government. Already, there are three international airports are in operation in Kerala and the fourth, the Kannur International Ariport, is nearing completion at Mattannur in Kannur district.