Rs 3500 cr expansion scheme for Cochin Airport

Thiruvananthapuram, May 23 (UNI) A Rs 3500 crore expansion scheme will be taken up at the Cochin International Airport, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said today.

He told newspersons after a meeting of CIAL officials that the expansion work to be undertaken in 488 acre of land around the airport would be completed by 2012. It would generate direct and indirect employment opportunities to about 34,000 people.

The expansion scheme included setting up an aviation training centre, convention centre, five star hotel, cargo facilities, shopping mall, speciality hospital, educational institute and amusement park. Work on the aircraft maintenance centre had already started.

The fund would be mobilised through public-private particiation.

As many as 13 companies in the international sector and seven in the domestic sector were operating from the airport, which started functioning in 1999. It was already equipped with facilities for the landing of wide-bodied aircraft like Boeing 747, the officials said.

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