Mysuru/Kannur: While Mysuru, the cultural capital of Karnataka and the biggest city next only to the State Capital of Bengaluru is struggling to have a full-fledged Airport, Kannur, a relatively small city in Kerala, is all set to get an international airport.
Most of the works have been completed at Kannur International Airport in Mattanur, Kerala and flights are expected to start well before the September 2018 deadline. The bhoomi puja for the airport was performed in 2010 and since then, the airport works, including the land acquisition (the trickiest part of any project) were initiated smoothly and the results are there for everyone to see.
Compare this with the Mysore Airport at Mandakalli with the backdrop of Chamundi Hill. Since the 1960s, Mysureans had been appealing the authorities to upgrade the airport and the airport was finally inaugurated in 2010 with no airline coming forward to operate flights and some airlines operating only flights during Dasara.
After much push and pull, only now the airport has a lone daily flight to Chennai and the runway still remains primitive, capable of handling only small planes.
The Kannur International Airport has come up on a plot of 1,900 acres atop a hill at Mookapramabu, just 32.4 km from the border town of Makutta and 58.3 kms from Virajpet, Kodagu and about 90 kms from Madikeri. Nearly 1,200 acres of land on the hilltop has been levelled and the work on the airport has been completed at a cost of Rs. 1,892 crore. Another 700 acre of land has been acquired for future expansion.
Incidentally, Kerala already has three International Airports in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode and has got fourth one at Kannur. Once inaugurated, the Kannur Airport will join the elite group of airports with a 4,000-metre runway. This will be the fourth international airport to be in the same class as Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi (4,430 metres), Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad (4,260 meters) and Bengaluru International Airport (4,120 metres).
With its proximity to Kodagu (Coorg), Mysuru and Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, the Kannur International Airport is all set to transform the face of the region.
The airport is expected to bring more tourists to the region and facilitate export of high-value handloom, coffee, fish, meat, spices, pharmaceuticals, flowers, etc., which will improve the socio-economic conditions of the region.
An international air cargo complex of 1.05 lakh sqft. is under construction equipped with modern facilities to handle perishable and general cargo. Once the cargo complex is fully functional, Kannur International Airport will become the cargo hub of the region.
There will be 24 check-in counters to begin with, and provision has been made to make it 48 on demand. First-of-its kind in airports in Kerala, two self baggage drop counters are also installed to save time that will otherwise be spent at check-in counters. Self check-in machines have also been provided.
Six aero-bridges will speed up the boarding and disembarking process and provide all-weather convenient access to the aircraft. There will be a Day Hotel equipped with 20 fully furnished rooms and shower facilities within the terminal itself to add more convenience.
World-class navigational aids are planned including Instrument Landing System (ILS) along with CAT-1 approach lighting system to guide aircraft to land safely even under poor weather/visibility conditions.
Mysuru is slightly bigger than half of Hubballi-Dharwada city. Please correct your article and stop spreading false information.
I guess the author forgot to mention that Mysuru is the second biggest city in terms of population.
The author is worried about, 3 existing international airports in Kerala state and one more in Kannur is getting ready. He should remember that economic viability is more important. If one go through the passenger statistics of these 3 airports in Kerala, you will find that Kerala needs few more international airports. One among them is Kannur and another is Aranmula. If you see the statistics of international passengers flying through Kozhikode and Mangalore, you will observe that a large percentage are from Kannur and nearby areas. Hence Kannur airport is a need of the hour. You can also notice that why international and and domestic airline companies are competing to ply from Kannur. It’s nothing but business. The reason why only one flight from Mysuru is obvious from above.
Anonymous seems to be more bothered about the size of Mysore than about the airport and the laid back approach of our state. Now that the necessary sanction has been obtained for a tunnel for the national highway it is time to get cracking and complete the project!!
Unverified news indicates that Kozhikode has become a center for gold and currency smuggling, where the CISF is hand in glove with the airport promoters. Kannur will perhaps attain the same notoreity soon. The business attractiveness of both airports is this factor. Mysore has not amenable hence it’s sleepiness
Mr. Krishna lal gupta want (or wishes) yet to be opened Kannur airport to have the same so called notoriety of Kozhikode airport. It’s nothing but jealously. Dear friend, such activity happens anywhere and everywhere, where there is a heavy passenger load. The business attractiveness is, due to the large number of malayalees who work in gulf/Africa/Europe/America travel through these airports. Earlier they were traveling via Mumbai.
Kannur Airport is going to add more miseries to the district of Coorg.
Kannur Airport is going to add more miseries to Kodagu.
how?
Airports authority of India sought land at Mangalore for airport expansion, but the state govt slept over it. (land is state subject)
Now Mangalore Airport will also languish.
After all karnataka politicians do not want development of coastal karnataka.
Kannur airport is a people’s participation project and Kerala and central Govt investment is low. Gulf malayalees took major share. Mysuru airport is badly planned Govt venture and any expansion of runway require shifting of Nanjangood highway. Mangalore and Kozhikode airports are table top and impossible to expand. Kannur airport will definitely benefit Karnataka only if new Iritty bridge is completed for free access to passengers and cargo.
Kannur airport is the largest greenfield airport in India with 2600 acres of area for future development as a world class hub. And there was no bikini pooja or prayer for this at any time as it purely scientific airport. The reporter is living in stone age
Best wishes to Kannur Airport
The exact location of Airport is written with wrong spellings. Correct spelling is Moorkhan Parambu ( meaning Land of Cobras),located in the vicinity of Mattanur town
Mr.Patrick ,what is bikini pooja? Is it sarcasm or a pooja you only know.?
The total share of central , govtand PSU ‘s are around 77%. Remaining are goes to private firms including NRI s
Most of the Mallus who are staying in gulf region are using Mangaluru airport, now the travelers will be divided based on ticket fare . But still due close to border Mangaluru airport will be used extensively used by both states as it serves to many districts like Udupi, Bhatkal and other coastal region, where as Mysuru do not have many international frequent flyers neither we have any major districts surrounding Mysore. But Mysore has potential interstate flyers especially introducing flights to Delhi and Mumbai will boast Mysore airport.
Delhi airport serves to many states like Punjab, UP and Bihar. It will help tourism sector as well, most of travel agents like make my trip, Musafir or our local travel agents like Travel parkz, BIT they all do group booking from Bangalore as they do not have option.
And for Mumbai most of the traders they travel extensively to Mumbai and that too frequently.
Kannur International Airport will provide benefit for both Kannur, Kasaragod and Karnataka (especially Coorg region).It will boost tourist in Coorg , Mysore , Kannur and nearby places
Mysore airport is a waste given the proximity of Bengaluru airport. Only way this can be functional, if Karnataka government float a regional airlines in the lines of KSRTC and connect various district head quarters and nearby cities of other states. Otherwise nobody will come forward to operate from Mysore as it is not feasible business wise. Charter planes maybe another option.
Just to help millions of Malayalees who work in the Gulf and other parts of Middle East, I suppose. This does not mean progress, as it produces a plethora of problems and issues.
Too many Malayalees work in the Gulf and other regions of Middle East. I would not be found in the crowded, and dingy planes which are crammed full of luggage when these characters visit their home state. Constructing many airports for them is not progress, but can generate problems and issues.
There was no shit like bhoomi pooja.please correct it.