KOCHI: The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has been making big strides in total air passenger traffic over the past few years and clocked a record footfall of 64.5 lakh passengers, including domestic and international travellers, in the last financial year, up about 21 per cent from previous year’s traffic of 53.8 lakh. The rise in passenger traffic was also visible in the arrival of pilgrim tourists to the state via Kochi airport, which has grown over 60 per cent in the last few years. However, the effort to make the airport one of the major transit hubs of pilgrims in South India is yet to get desired results as two major projects conceived to take the devotees from the airport to two major pilgrim centres like Sabarimala and Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple ran into rough weather.
Earlier, a Delhi-based Company Chipsan Aviation Limited had formally announced in 2012 that it would introduce helicopter taxi services from Kochi to Sabarimala during the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku seasons. As per the project details, the choppers pressed into service by the company will airlift the passengers from Nedumbasserry airport to Perunad, about 40 km away from Sabarimala, which would cost a devotee Rs 12,000 for one-way trip and Rs 22,000 for round trip.
Similarly, the Union Ministry for Civil Aviation had conducted a feasibility study as part of conducting helicopter services between Kochi International Airport and Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple with a view to boost religious tourism in Kerala. The representatives of the state-owned Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd have even identified two locations to set up two modern helipads near Guruvaur, one adjacent the Devaswom-owned Sri Krishna College and another at the Dwaraka beach in Guruvayur.
However, both projects didn’t take off owing to various reasons. Speaking to Express, A C K Nair, airport director, CIAL, said the airport is always ready to provide required infrastructure and its facilities to conduct the services and it is up to the state government and respective Devaswom boards to explore the possibility and tap the conducive market.
16/12/15 Dhinesh Kallungal/The New Indian Express
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Earlier, a Delhi-based Company Chipsan Aviation Limited had formally announced in 2012 that it would introduce helicopter taxi services from Kochi to Sabarimala during the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku seasons. As per the project details, the choppers pressed into service by the company will airlift the passengers from Nedumbasserry airport to Perunad, about 40 km away from Sabarimala, which would cost a devotee Rs 12,000 for one-way trip and Rs 22,000 for round trip.
Similarly, the Union Ministry for Civil Aviation had conducted a feasibility study as part of conducting helicopter services between Kochi International Airport and Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple with a view to boost religious tourism in Kerala. The representatives of the state-owned Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd have even identified two locations to set up two modern helipads near Guruvaur, one adjacent the Devaswom-owned Sri Krishna College and another at the Dwaraka beach in Guruvayur.
However, both projects didn’t take off owing to various reasons. Speaking to Express, A C K Nair, airport director, CIAL, said the airport is always ready to provide required infrastructure and its facilities to conduct the services and it is up to the state government and respective Devaswom boards to explore the possibility and tap the conducive market.
16/12/15 Dhinesh Kallungal/The New Indian Express
