AI to announce new package in January

"The package will be effective from next month", he told reporters here.

So far there has been luke warm response for visa amnesty for illegal residents in UAE. The UAE had permitted illegal residents who have overstayed there after expiry of visas to leave the country from December 4. After the February 4 deadline, they would have to pay heavy penalty, he said.

Keralites account for about 25,000 out of an estimated 45,000 Indians residing illegally in UAE, he said.

An approach Surveillance Radar will be commissioned by April next year at the International airport at Nedumabassery near here, the minister said.

The equipment has already reached Chennai. Certain formalities have to be completed after which it would be installed, he said after a review meeting with officials of Cochin International Airport Ltd, customs, Air India, Air India Express, Airports Authority of India, Kerala state Industrial Development corporation (KSIDC), which handles cargo at Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram airports.

Sanction from the Telecommunication minister and DGCA were being awaited, he said.

An Instrumentation Landing system (ILS), the second, will also be set up at the airport which would facilitate landing of flights. Presently, flights can land only on one side and during bad weather they would have to be diverted.