Kannur (Kerala): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday inaugurated the Kannur International Airport Ltd (KIAL) and expressed confidence that it will change the fortune of the state with all towns within four hours of drive from an international airport.
“Kannur Takes Off!” Vijayan tweeted, after flagging off the first flight at 10 a.m. along with Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu.
All 180 passengers of the inaugural Air India Express flight to Abu Dhabi, received a gift each from KIAL.
This is the fourth international airport in the state, the rest are in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.
In his Facebook post, the Chief Minister said: “The airport will change the fortune of northern Kerala. It is spread across 2,300 acres and has a runway length of 3,050 metre, which will be extended to 4,000 metre.
“Connectivity and mobility are vital for inclusive development. The admirable progress Kerala has made in human development is because of this focus on inclusivity.” With the inauguration of Kannur airport, Kerala is setting new standards in connectivity. Among Indian states, Kerala now has the highest density of international airports, he said. (IANS)
