Thiruvananthapuram airport to be accessed by all modes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has agreed to consider a Kerala government proposal to make the international airport here accessible through all transport modes such as road, rail, water and monorail, state Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar said Friday.

The Thiruvananthapuram international airport comes under the AAI.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had proposed the plan to AAI authorities at a meeting last month after which he asked the Kerala Road Fund to prepare a feasibility report.

"The feasibility report would be submitted soon. Once it comes, then very soon this would be a reality," Sivakumar, who represents the area in which the airport is located, told reporters.

"State Irrigation Minister P.J. Joseph has ensured that the now polluted Parvathy Puthenaaru which runs across the capital city would be dredged and cleaned up. Once done, boats will operate to Kovalam and it would run close by the airport," added Sivakumar.

The now cleared monorail project in the capital city would also pass through the airport and extension of the national highway will also lead to wider and broader roads to the airport. The railway network currently passes close by and hence the proposal to divert the present route closer to the airport.

Sivakumar said the project won't need large land acquisition.

"I don't think there would be a need for any major land acquisition for this unique project as the airport has the land," said the minister.