Adani gets environmental nod for luxury airport hotel in Thiruvananthapuram

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change cleared a Rs 136-crore luxury hotel proposal by Adani Airport Holdings Ltd within the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport premises.

The approval followed a detailed review by the Expert Appraisal Committee (Infra-2) during its August meeting, sources said on Tuesday.

The project, spread across a little over 8,000 sq m inside the airport area, includes a 240-room hotel with food-and-beverage facilities offering 660 seats.

According to official documents, the site is currently used as an open parking area within the airport, operated by the Adani Group.

The land was handed over to the Adani Group's airport arm under a long-term concession agreement signed with the Airports Authority of India in January 2021.

The proposed five-storey structure will have a height of 23 metres, with two basement levels for parking, a ground floor and four upper floors. The total built-up area is estimated at nearly 34,000 sq m.

Authorities said the project would rely on treated water from an on-site sewage treatment plant, with recycling expected to meet about half of its daily water requirement.

Solid waste will be managed through organic-waste converters and authorised recyclers.

Around 40 existing trees at the site will be transplanted within the airport premises. The developer has earmarked space for a green belt and plans to adopt measures aimed at reducing energy consumption by up to 20 per cent.

The ministry noted that the site does not fall within any eco-sensitive or forest areas and that the proposal faces no pending court cases.

It also said the clearance was processed at the central level due to the temporary absence of the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority in Kerala.

The project, estimated to cost Rs 136 crore, is expected to take about three years to complete.

Officials said the development could create around 300 direct jobs and support nearly 900 indirect jobs, adding that the hotel is intended to enhance passenger amenities and boost the city's tourism sector.

A source said the five-star hotel is part of Adani Group's broader 'City Side Development' plan for Thiruvananthapuram.

The company expects the facility to serve air travellers as well as foreign crew arriving on large cargo vessels docking at the Vizhinjam port, which is operated by the group.

Recently, the union government allocated an immigration counter at the Vizhinjam International Seaport, enabling crew-change operations and potentially spurring further development in the region.