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‘Gulf Indians willing to invest in airport project at Kannoor’

DUBAI — With the Indian Defence Ministry giving approval to the proposed Kannoor Airport, the project should be implemented with the participation of expatriate Indians on the lines of Cochin International Airport, suggested All India Airport Users’ Forum (AIAUF).

“Cochin airport has become the most successful airport in India and the most profitable one also due to the fact that it was set up and run with the capital gathered from shares of expatriate Indians. This could be followed in the case of Kannoor also,” said KM Basheer, General Secretary of AIAUF.

He said many Indians in the Gulf countries are willing to invest in the Kannoor airport project. “If shares are gathered from expatriate Indians, the project can be completed in a record time and further management of the airport also could be carried out smoothly on the lines of Cochin airport,” Basheer pointed out.

AIAUF has also asked the Indian civil aviation authorities to expedite the approval for foreign airlines to operate from Calicut airport without any further delay.

“Since the authorities have conferred international status on Calicut Airport, it should be made a reality immediately by allowing foreign airlines to operate from there. Many foreign airlines are now operating from the other two airports in Kerala, which has come as a blessing for thousands of expatriate Indians working in the Gulf countries who are facing big problems due to the scarcity of seats in the national airlines during almost all seasons,” he said.

Basheer said this will also bring down the air fare to Calicut, which is considered to be the highest now.

“A healthy competition from other airlines will compel the national carriers to enhance their services as well as reduce the ticket charges, which will be ultimately beneficial for the poor Indians abroad,” he said.

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