Study for greenfield airport at Karaikal

Apre-feasibility techno-economic study for promoting a greenfield airport at Karaikal has been done by Coimbatore-based Super Airport Infrastructure (India) Private Limited (SAIPL).

The study says that a commercial air connectivity to the town would prove viable, according to a press release.

The investment for the proposed airport is estimated at Rs 56 crore and SAIPL has analysed four possible sites "" Boothakudi, Karukalacherri, Pollagam and Pettai "" in Karaikal, for building the airport.

Air links to Karaikal from Chennai and Bangalore would be chosen as the mode of travel by a large number of pilgrims who come to visit the shrines and places of worship located near Karaikal, the study says.

The SAIPL study has identified at least three popular inter-religious destinations and a colonial landmark, all near to Karaikal, that attract regular flow of tourists throughout the year.

The important pilgrim centres are the Saneeswarar temple at Tirunallaru, 3 km from Karaikal, and Tirukadaiyur, about 15 km further away on Karaikal-Pondy road, besides the famous Nagore Durgah and the Basilica of Velankanni which attract tourists from all parts of India and abroad, especially from Sri Lanka. Another place of historic value is the Dutch fort at Tranquebar beachfront. The study was taken up at the instance of the Pondicherry government's Department of Toursim.

It has mapped the zones of passenger origination and aspects such as site selection for the airport and technical specifications, including soil testing and land alignment, according to J V Chowdhury, managing director, SAIPL. If a greenfield airport at Karaikal is set up, it might have around 550 in-bound/out-bound passengers daily, he said.