Kannur all set for grand take off on Sunday

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.