International status for Karipur likely by March

By K.P. Pushparaj

KARIPUR, OCT. 7. The Karipur airport is likely to get a facelift, including the much sought-after international status, may be in March next, coinciding with the completion of the runway extension and other prerequisite to cater for larger aircraft.

However, Airports Authority of India (AAI) sources refused to comment on the upgradation of the airport. According to them, Karipur does not figure among the seven new airports recently designated as international ones. But, taking into consideration the operation of international flights to West Asian countries and the upgradation of infrastructure here, a political decision in this direction cannot be ruled out, they add.

The runway is being extended up to 9,000 ft. to cater for larger aircraft. Though AAI officials affirm that the runway extension work would be completed by December-end, it is unlikely to happen, taking into account the quantum of earth work remaining and the pace at which the work is progressing.

Besides completion of the runway extension work, a formal clearance from the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation and facilitation of prerequisites like flight calibration of navigational aids and other civil work will have to be undertaken before the status of the airport could be elevated.

But, what is more important is the potential and viability of the airport as an international one and a political decision in this respect. Once the airport is designated as international, more domestic and international flights will be introduced from Karipur.

The runway expansion work envisages extending the existing 6,000 ft. runway by another 3,000 ft.. The cost of the project had been revised from its original Rs. 90 crores to Rs. 125 crores. According to the schedule, the project is to be completed by this year-end. The first phase of the runway expansion up to 7,625 ft. was completed in January, 1999.

The funds for the runway expansion work had been provided by the Malabar International Airport Development Society (MIADS) as loan raised from HUDCO. Aimed at repaying the loan, a "users' fee" of Rs. 500 is being collected from international passengers boarding from the airport. At present, Indian Airlines (IA) operates 32 international and 18 domestic flights from here a week. Apart from IA, a private airliner operates daily flights to Mumbai. A unique feature here is that Air-India (AI) operates flights jointly with IA to destinations viz. Dubai, Abudhabi and Muscat.

Following the pressure exerted by organisations like the Malabar Chamber of Commerce, an air cargo complex and an unaccompanied baggage centre are now functional here. However, a long felt demand for operating flights to Saudi Arabia is yet to materialise. Though there are hundreds of passengers to Saudi Arabia from this part of the State, AI is yet to start a direct flight service to this sector from Karipur. Sources say that a good percentage of the domestic travellers from Kozhikode to Mumbai are onward passengers to Saudi Arabia. But, authorities attribute the reason to the difficulty in operating bigger aircraft from the airport, adding that once the airport is ready to cater for big planes, flights to Saudi Arabia would be introduced. But, as indications from AI suggest, it is unlikely to happen this Haj season, they add.

The difference in the travel fare from a destination in West Asia to Karipur and to Mumbai has been decried by the international passengers. The absence of competition from other airlines is pointed out to be the main reason for the difference in the `actual' fair paid by an international passenger. While a passenger could enjoy the benefits of incentives given by international air carriers, such facilities are lacking in the case of Karipur. But, a possible upgradation of the airport is likely to attract foreign airlines to Karipur and a fair tariff.

The opening of the Cochin International Airport had witnessed a slight dip in the passenger traffic from Karipur. But, in view of the passenger traffic to West Asia, the airport has been a good revenue earner for the AAI. The airport also witnessed import of hundreds of tonnes of gold from West Asia and the Customs revenue by way of it ran into hundreds of crores of rupees.

Following the initiatives taken by the AAI, better passenger facilities are in the offing. Duty free shops by the ITDC, better sanitation facilities, augmentation of water supply, car park area, isolation parking bay, a canopy for visitors, public gallery and introduction of bus service to airport are among the facilities planned.

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