Air-India engineering base still grounded

Thiruvananthapuram: 15 acres of land sanctioned by the State Government to Air-India to set up an engineering base in the state capital remains on paper even after a year.
On September 2, 2006, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan had handed over the title-deeds for the 15 acres at Chakkai free of cost to Air-India general manager I S Wadkar at a time when there were reports that the state might lose the project.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the project on November 1. Air-India had also appointed a project management consultant and was planning to complete the work within 18 months. The project is expected to give a boost to the development of the capital.
The impasse was caused by the delay in evacuating the Trivandrum Rubber Works (TRW) from the land allotted to Air-India. The government’s failure to come up with a proper compensation package is learnt to be the reason for this. Though the government offered to shift the unit, which is almost defunct, to a five-acre plot at Parassala, the 135-odd employees were opposed to this plan.
“Now the issue is almost sorted out ...As soon as this process is over, we can vacate the land, which may take one or two months’ time,” said TRW Managing Director Hareendra Kumar.
Air-India is planning to set up the engineering base primarily to service the Boeing 737-800 aircraft in its fleet, which is operated by Air India Express.
10/09/07 Arjun Raghunath/Newindpress

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Categories: Air India - International Sep 2007, Air India Domestic Sep 2007, NACL Sep 2007, New Sep 2007