Idukkis dreams to take wings soon

KOCHI: The prospect of an airport in Idukki looks bright as the nod from the Defence Ministry is the only procedure to be completed. Rest of the ground work for the airport at Anakkara has been completed and approval from the Defence Ministry is expected within three months.The district administration has completed all the required procedures for the proposed airport. “We first conducted the feasibility study and submitted the report before the Airports Authority of India. The Civil Aviation Ministry has also approved the proposal. Later the Survey of India conducted a study and gave the nod for the project. Now, the only approval required is from the Defence Ministry. The report for the airport was handed over to Defence Ministry at a meeting held last week. We hope it will be a positive one,”  Idukki Collector, P Bhaskaran said.A district administration official said that there is an advantage with A K Antony as the Defence Minster,as he might help realise the project.“Since there are several ministers from Kerala in the UPA Government, it is believed that there won’t be any major problem with the proposal. Once all the certificates from the authorities concerned are received, we will start the land acquisition and other works. The approval should come within two to three months,” official said. According to Bhaskaran, the project will certainly be a major achievement for Idukki.“The project will be a solution to the transportation problems of the region. In case of any calamity the rescue operation can be launched from here and people can be shifted to safer places. It will also promote  tourism which is on a fast phase of growth in the district. Though the airport will be able to handle only small aircrafts, it will be very helpful for the entire district,” P Bhaskaran said.Anakkara is 15 km from Thekkady and 85 km from Munnar on the main route connecting the two tourism destinations. The 450 hectares of land identified for the project is paddy field and ground levelling would not be a major problem either.