Raising the issue through a zero hour
mention, Mx V Shreyams Kumar of
Loktantrik Janata Dal said Kozhikode
airport has been neglected in utilising
its full capacity by increasing the traffic
and expediting the development
works planned.
"Kozhikode airport had been one of the high earning airports with revenue of
about Rs 160 crores per year. It has been reduced to just above Rs 70 crores
now," he said.
The shifting of Haj embarkation point to Kochi has left about 15,000 pilgrims
from Malabar in difficulty, he said, adding international flight traffic at the
airport too has been reduced to half.
"It happened because large aircraft are not allowed operation for the last six
months since the AirIndia crash on August 7, 2020," he said.
On August 7, 2020, an Air India Express Boeing-737 plane repatriating Indians
stranded in Dubai due to the pandemic overshot the runway in heavy rain and
crashed, leaving 21 dead. Authorities, he said, are waiting for the release of the report of the enquiry
committee entrusted by the DGCA to restart the operation of wide-bodied
aircraft at the airport.
"The preliminary enquiry report was to appear at least within a month of the
appointment of the committee. But even after six months, the enquiry report
has not seen light. Even more, the committee has asked two more months to
complete the enquiry," he said.
Kumar said most Gulf workers from Malabar have been dependent on
Kozhikode airport for many years.
12/02/21 PTI/Economic Times
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