Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State unit secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has raised fears that the closure of Calicut International Airport at Karipur for runway repairs would be to help the Coimbatore airport.
Inaugurating a march taken out to the Karipur airport, organised jointly by the CPI(M) Kozhikode and Malappuram district committees, on Thursday, Mr. Balakrishnan pointed out that the Coimbatore airport would benefit greatly by the closure of the Karipur airport for runway repairs.
“Closure of an airport in its peak season for a long period for repairs is unheard of in the history of Indian aviation. Karipur is being closed with a definite purpose,” the CPI(M) leader said.
Mr. Balakrishnan said that 52 services would either be cancelled or shifted to Coimbatore when the Karipur airport was closed for over a year.
“We can’t expect those services to come back to Karipur once they are gone,” Mr. Balakrishnan said.
Land acquisition
The CPI(M) leader demanded that compensation be given to those handing over property for airport development.
He said that a deliberate attempt was being made to show that the airport was suffering because of lack of land for further development of the airport.
He said the authorities should work to find land for development.
He called upon them to replicate the Kannur model in land acquisition.
P. Mohanan, Kozhikode district secretary of the CPI(M), presided over the march.
The police stopped the march well ahead of the airport.
‘Apathetic attitude’
Hundreds of activists took part in the march taken out in protest against the alleged apathetic attitude of the authorities towards the Karipur airport.
P.P. Vasudevan, Malappuram district secretary of the party, welcomed the gathering.
Senior party leaders Paloli Mohammed Kutty and T.K. Hamza, and Kerala Pravasi Sangham State president P.T. Kunhimohammed were among those who addressed the march.
52 services will be cancelled or shifted
Demands compensation for those giving land
