The proposed construction of a Greenfield airport on the Cheruvalli estate has hit a roadbloack as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) finds fault with its design and techno-economic feasibility report.
According to a report by the aviation regulatory body, the site-clearance approval sought for the greenfield airport is not in tune with the Greenfield Airports Policy. “The proposed site has an aerial distance of approximately 88 km and 110 km from the Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram airports, respectively. Whereas according to para 8.1 of Greenfield Airports Policy, no greenfield airport would be allowed within an aerial distance of 150 km of an existing civilian airport,” the report read.
DGCA also came down heavily on the techno-economic feasibility report of the airport prepared by Louis Berger, a private consultant, stating that the report seems not reliable. “The appended map/charts to get the site clearance approval is not signed or authenticated by the surveyor and the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation [KSIDC], the nodal agency for the proposed project, respectively, as the content of documents varies at various places,” DGCA added.
Noting that the proposed site is basically a hilly terrain, DGCA said the site topography is similar to the Calicut and Mangaluru airports, and that also needs to be kept in mind while considering the proposal. The watchdog said there may be
a “constraint in runway length and associated facilities” and result in restriction on aircraft operation.
The regulator took special notice of a disclaimer given on Louis Berger report, which stated that “any reliance on this report by any third party or external agency shall be solely at their risk and cost, with no obligation/liability on part of Louis Berger. No representation or warranty is given as to the reasonableness of forecasts or the assumption on which they may be based and nothing in this report is or should be relied on as a promise, representation or warranty”.
The three-page report by the DGCA also carried remarks on the space marked for the preparation of the 2,700-meter-long runway of the airport. In the absence of adequate length and width, a tabletop runway will have to be constructed on the lines of Mangalore and Kozhikode airports, it noted.
Another aspect is that the proposed airport falls within 150 kilometres aerial distance of two existing international airports — Cochin and Thiruvananthapuram. Under the Union government’s Greenfield Airports Policy, no greenfield aerodrome would be allowed within an aerial distance of 150 kilometres of an existing civilian airport. The regulator has also mentioned about this aspect to the Civil Aviation Ministry.
For the unversed, the proposed Sabarimala greenfield international airport is on the Cheruvally estate. It is around 2.5 kilometres from the TheniKottarakara National Highway and close to Erumeli town in Kottayam district.
