Kerala plans to develop airstrips for chartered tourists

Kerala government today proposed to develop airstrips at Bakal, Wayanad, Idukki and Sabarimala to enhance connectivity for the chartered tourists and the development of tourism in the state.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today met Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju and demanded an improved domestic connectivity in the state, for which the minister assured that he will bring this matter to the notice of airliners concerned.
"We have great potential for tourism in the state. We need to develop airstrips at various tourist places so as to enable chartered flights to land," Vijayan told reporters here.
When asked about the proposed controversial Aranmula airport project in Pathanamthitta district, where Sabarimala is located, he said his government is opposed to the project as it poses threat to the agricultural land there.

"We are not opposing the construction of any airport. It is not practical there as the proposed site is an agricultural land and we are against using that land," he said.
The chief minister also demanded relaxation of landing norms at Calicut International Airport where wide-bodied aircrafts are not allowed to land after a DGCA directive on the expansion works.
"We will speed up the process of land acquisition for the Airport," Vijayan said in a press meet here.