Aranmula International Airport

Aranmula International Airport is a new development constructed by KGS Aranmula International Airport Ltd on a 700 acre site near the city of Aranmula in the Indian state of Kerala. Kerala State Chief Minister Oommen Chandy stated the government will take a 10% stake in Aranmula International Airport via the sale of land necessary for the airport. However, the Kerala State Government withdrew the in-principal approval for the proposed airport, citing farming activities would resume from Nov-2016 on the land identified for airport construction. However, after two years since the project was last reported to be abandoned, a feasibility survey for the development of Aranmula International Airport are underway according to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

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Jun-2018. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated feasibility survey works for the development of Aranmula International Airport are underway.

Nov-2016. India’s Kerala Government cancelled all government orders related to the Aranmula International Airport greenfield project including its 'in principal' approval. KGS Group had planned to invest INR20 billion (USD291 million) for the project over 700 acres of land. Kerela Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan advised the Kerela Government is "against the Aranmula International Airport project" and that the government aims for comprehensive development without harming the environment."

Sep-2016.

28-Sep-2016. India's Ministry of Civil Aviation withdrew in principal approval for the proposed Aranmula International Airport project, after National Green Tribunal reportedly did not provide environmental clearance and Ministry of Defence withdrew No Object Certificate.

01-Sep-2016. India’s Kerela Government Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan advised of steps to to withdraw the in-principle approval for the proposed Aranmula International Airport project. The project was initially suggested in 2006. Ministry of Agriculture advised farming activities would resume from Nov-2016 on the land identified for airport construction.

Aug-2016.

11-Aug-2016. India’s Union Forest and Environment Committee stated it approved KGS Aranmula International Airport Limited’s plans to conduct an environmental impact study.

02-Aug-2016. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government opposes the development of an airport coming on agriculture land in Aranmula. "We stand by the earlier LDF decision. We are not against setting up of the airport," he added.

Jul-2016. KGS Group provided a new application to the Union Environmental Ministry for environmental sanction for the Aranmula International Airport development project. The Ministry will likely consider the application by 29-Jul-2016. The project is expected to require INR2 billion (USD298 million) and over INR4.2 billion (USD62.5 million) has been invested by KGS Group. 500 acres of land acquisition has currently been allotted to the project.

Jul-2015. India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change granted conditional approval to conduct a new environmental impact assessment for the Aranmula International Airport project. The project also requires approval from the Ministry of Defence.

May-2015. India's Minister of State for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar said the Aranmula International Airport has not been granted environmental approval. Mr Javadekar confirmed the cancellation of approval granted following an environmental impact assessment under the previous government. Mr Javadekar said, "There are three steps for availing environmental clearance, and the airport project has not cleared even the first step." India's Ministry of Defence also reportedly withdrew its clearance for the project, and the CAA, as a result of the Environmental Minister's decision.

Apr-2015. India’s Union Environment Ministry (MoEF) approved a new environmental impact assessment for the Aranmula International Airport project. KGS Group MD Gigi George said the study would commence shortly. The Civil Aviation Ministry is expected to review the airport’s plan in May-2015.

Jun-2014. The KGS Group announced it will challenge a decision by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to revoke environmental clearances issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the development of Aranmula International Airport. The ruling was made in late May-2014. KGS Aranmula International Airport Ltd said the airport development company has decided to go ahead with the project after rectifying the procedural lapses pointed out by the NGT and was confident that the airport can re-secure environmental clearance, as the NGT retracted the previous clearance on procedural grounds. If the environmental clearances are rectified KGS group expects that the airport will be commissioned by the end of 2016, matching its original schedule.

Dec-2013. India's National Green Tribunal ordered a stay of work on the proposed Aranmula International Airport development, after a petition from a local environmental activist lodged an objection to the environmental clearance process for the airport. A separate petition is before the tribunal, also seeking a halt to the project, on ecological grounds. KGS Aranmula International Airport, the company leading the development, also faces objections to the airport construction from the Aranmula Parthasarathi Temple, which is objecting to having its masts shortened, to eliminate obstructions to proposed flight paths.

The Indian Government has granted "in-principle" approval for the new airport at Aranmula. As per Greenfield Airport Policy, 2008, Airport Authority of India (AAI), State Government or any other entity can submit application for setting up of a green field airport in the prescribed proforma for consideration of Steering Committee headed by the Secretary of Civil Aviation.

Nov-2013. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has provided full environmental approval for the construction of the airport. KGS Aranmula International Airport Limited now aims to have the airport operational by 15-Dec-2015.

The Department of Revenue (DoR) Central Board of Excise and Customs issued a report stating their was “no urgent requirement” for the development of the greenfield international airport at Aranmula. The DoR suggested the airport be “restricted to clear international passengers only, subject to augmentation of existing Customs staff strength and accepting the payment of cost recovery charges there as per norms”.

Jul-2013. The Kerala High Court extended its stay on construction work on Aranmula International Airport for an extra two weeks. The project has faced significant opposition from local community groups, environmental groups and political groups, including the Kerala Legislative Assembly.

May-2013. Kerala State Government Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash announced a decision on the implementation of the proposed KGS Aranmula International Airport will be taken following a Cabinet-level discussion. The airport has faced objections from multiple sources, including that it violates the policy of not allowing a new green field airport within 150km of an existing airport and that the land acquisition process for the project has ignored environmental legislation. Local land owners have also objected to the plans for the construction. The Indian Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture has already recommended the development of the airport not go ahead. Development of the airport is lead by KGS Aranmula International Airport Ltd, a consortium of KGS Group and Reliance Group. The facility will be the first privately developed international green field airport in India. The partners plan to built the airport on about 700 acres of land, at an investment of INR20 billion (USD356 million).