Pune’s new airport must learn from Kochi’s success
Updated: Apr 11, 2018, 10:07 IST
The entire state has been keenly following the developments surrounding Pune’s upcoming airport at Purandar. The chief minister has promised a state-of-theart airport that will be based on some of the world’s best.
But one of the best examples of a world-class greenfield airport is the Cochin International Airport (CIA) at Nedumbassary — about 25 km from Kochi. This airport is known across the world as a trendsetter in aviation infrastructure development. We hope Pune’s new airport will outdo CIA, but even replicating its best features will result in a world-class airport at Purandar.
Cochin International Airport Limited, or CIAL, owns the Cochin International Airport. CIA is the first greenfield airport in the country funded by public-private partnership and it was built at an incredibly low price of just Rs 300 crore. It is also the first airport in the country not built by the Airports Authority of India.
The Kerala government holds 32.42% equity and the rest is held by 18,000 investors from 36 countries. Notably, CIAL has been paying dividends to its investors since 2003-04. It paid 25% dividend in 2015-16 and 2016-17 with the dividend payout almost touching Rs 180 crore.
In 2017-18, CIAL handled more than one crore passengers and had an average movement of 188 aircraft every day, making it the seventh largest airport in India. As many as 25 airlines operate from this airport, which employs more than 7,500 people.
The airport also has everything a world-class airport needs — a wide apron area; aerobridges; a modern cargo complex with adequate facilities for perishable cargo; high-tech security and surveillance systems; and effective links with public transport. In fact, by 2020, solar-powered boats will be ferrying tourists from CIA to Marine Drive, a picturesque backwater stretch in Kochi.
Source : The Times Of India
