Lok Sabha Debates
Regarding Temporary Closing Of Calicut International Airport. on 17 March, 2015
Sixteenth Loksabha an> Title: Regarding temporary closing of Calicut International Airport.
SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMCHANDRAN (VADAKARA): As you are well aware, the Calicut airport is one of the busiest and high revenue earning international airports in India. It is seen as the gateway to Malabar region.
The statistics of Airports Authority reveal that 22 lakh passengers used this airport in 2013-14. It will be surprising to note that there is only one runway at this airport.
The airport caters mostly to the Gulf bound passengers. A large number of Haj pilgrims take flights from Kerala. It is quite distressing to note that the attitude of the Civil Aviation Department towards this airport has been one of utter neglect.
Airport Authority of India has announced that it has decided to close the airport from 1st May, 2015 for re-carpeting. Closing the airport without an alternative arrangement has thrown plans of thousands into disarray.
This is sheer criminal negligence on the part of Airports Authority of India. The whole nation wants to know as to how this situation has come to such a pass. Is there any hidden agenda behind this?
I urge upon the Government to conduct a high level enquiry into the matter and accountability be fixed.