Lok Sabha Question No. 1563 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-15
Subject: Expansion at Kozhikode Airport
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: M. P. Abdussamad Samadani

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1563 (To be answered on the 15 th  December 2022)

## EXPANSION AT KOZHIKODE AIRPORT

1563.

DR. M.P. ABDUSSAMAD SAMADANI

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government is aware that Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to cut down runway at Kozhikode International Airport for Runway End
- Safety Area (RESA) work and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is also aware of the negative impact of the decision
- and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any study on its impact is being conducted by the authorities and if so,
- the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has noticed the adverse effect of the decision on the development activities of the airport and the day-to-day functioning, well-being and future of this International Airport on which a large number of Non-Resident Indians depend heavily and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to step back from the decision so as to enable to accommodate big planes and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD))

(a) to (e):  A Committee under the Chairmanship of Air Chief Marshal (Retd.) Fali Homi  Major  was  constituted  by  the  Central  Government  to  oversee  the implementation of recommendations made in the Kozhikode aircraft accident Report. The Committee in its Report recommended that the State Government may be requested to provide filled up leveled land for provision of Runway End Safety Area (RESA). The Committee also recommended that in case the required levelled land is not made available by the end of Financial Year 2022-23, the runway length should be reduced to provide required RESA of 240m from the ends of the runway strip for undershooting and overshooting of aircraft.

In line with the recommendations of the Committee, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) projected a land requirement of 14.5 acre (07 acre on Runway-10 side and 7.5 acre on Runway-28 side) to the State Government of Kerala in order to provide adequate RESA at both ends of the runway at Calicut airport. The issue was followed up by the Ministry of Civil Aviation with the State Government through multiple correspondences over the last 9 months. However, the handing over of required leveled land by the State Government to AAI is still awaited. As per the  National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016 also, the responsibility to provide land free of cost and free from all encumbrances for development of an airport lies with the respective State Government only. However, Airports Authority of India (AAI) as a special measure, keeping in mind the viability and feasibility of operation of Wide-Body aircraft at Calicut airport, had offered to bear cost of leveling of land costing Rs.120 crore subject to the condition that the work executed by the State Government shall meet the specifications/ standards maintained by AAI. As per State Government of Kerala, the cost of leveling the land is around Rs.166 crore. On 31.10.2022, Ministry of Civil Aviation requested the State Government to provide (i) detailed estimate for leveling and stablising the land etc. and the procedure/ mechanism adopted to arrive at this estimate, (ii) date of starting of the ground breaking work for leveling work and (iii) timeline for handing over of the leveled land to AAI for development of the airport. However, response of the State Government on these issues is still awaited.  In absence of a response on these issues from the State Government, AAI will be left with no other option but to curtail the length of the runway as per the recommendations of the Committee to ensure safety of the passengers.

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