Kannur:
Fulfilling the long cherished dream of thousands of Non-Resident
Keralites and the villagers, the Kannur International Airport will be
thrown open to the airbus operations on Sunday. Kerala Chief Minister
Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the airport operations at a grand
event in Mattannur.
Moorkkanparambu,
the land chosen for the airport project, was a less developed area
till it was taken over by KIAL for the multi-crore airport project.
Since the beginning of the acquisition process, the local villagers
have been witnessing the smooth progress of their region opening
doors for a never-seen-before experience. The payment given for land
exchange changed the destiny of many besides giving them assurance on
a sustainable source of livelihood.
"Several
local residents have got a plush amount for rehabilitation. Many of
them constructed new houses with superior amenities. Many of their
children have got job with prestigious companies at the airport,"
says K.P. Narayanan, a resident in Mattannur. He points out that the
value of land has gone high even for small properties and thereby
giving hopes to hundreds of small income groups to live.
