Work on 4th International airport in Kerala to start in Feb

Work on Kerala's fourth international airport at Kannur, a Joint Venture between the state government and Larsen and Toubro, Mumbai, will commence in February.
The first phase of the Rs 1,590 crore project, including runway construction work, will be inaugurated by Defence Minister A K Antony on February 2.
The agreement and other formalities between the state government and L&T, Mumbai, to undertake the first phase work were completed in November, Minister for Ports and in-charge of Airports K Babu said.
As per the revised structure, government's share in the project has been increased to 35 per cent from 26 per cent. While the Airports Authority of India will have 26 per cent share, Oil major BPCL will have 23 per cent and the rest will be held by the private sector.

Of the private participation, sale of six per cent had already been completed. Kerala based Federal Bank and businessman M A Yusuf Ali will have five per cent share and the remaining five per cent would be given to NRK group.
The terminal building, air traffic control tower and administrative building are expected to be commissioned in 2015, Babu added.
Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Nedumbassery in Kochi are the other three international airports in the state.
Another international airport project in the private sector is also being planned at Aranmulla in Pathanamthitta district in central Kerala.