Will Kannur Airport snatch passengers from Mangaluru Airport?

coastaldigest.com news network
October 1, 2017

Mangaluru: Even though Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) director V V Rao has rubbished the possibilities of losing passengers to Kerala’s fourth international airport, which is expected to be commissioned within a few months, his counterpart at Kannur International Airport Ltd (KIAL) has spelt out a greater competition.

If everything goes as expected commercial operations at Kannur Airport would commence by mid-2018. Already 95% of the work on the air-side and 90% of the work of the integrated terminal building of the Airport are over. Apron, flyover, service roads, fire rescue station, IMD’s met park, STP, service block and auxiliary buildings have been completed a few months ago.

Unlike Mangaluru Airport, Kannur Airport is built on a public private partnership (PPP) model, in which the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has an equity stake of 10 percent, the state 35 percent, public sector units 25 percent and investors 30 percent. The new airport would have a handling capacity of 4.67 million passengers and 60,758 tonnes of cargo per annum by 2026, in addition to being able to handle 39,638 aircraft movements yearly with peak aircraft movement at 18 per hour.

According to Rao, international and domestic passengers from Kasaragod and Kodagu region would never prefer Kannur Airport over Mangaluru Airport. He opines that only passengers from Kannur area, who were boarding flights from Calicut airport, may use Kannur Airport, but not those from Mangaluru region.

On the other hand, Managing Director of KIAL P Bala Kiran is expecting passengers not just from Kasaragodu and  Kodagu regions but also from Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Mysuru and coastal districts of Karnataka too as the new Airport is expected to handle more Gulf flights.

The KIAL authorities are also planning to hold talks with Karnataka government towards development of Kodagu and Kannur Road via Virajpet. The Centre’s consent towards the survey of Mysuru-Thalassery Rail line via Madikeri as announced in the recent budget will be a stimulus in the promotion of tourism and goods services.

“Kannur Airport looks for business from passengers who have been depending on either Kozhikode or Mangaluru Airports. Moreover, we have enough land for setting up allied business centres to boost the business for airlines. We will also give aprons for night stay for aircraft,” the chief project engineer of KIAL, told coastaldigest.com.

Gulf Airlines

Even five years after obtaining international tag, Mangaluru Airport has failed to attract foreign airlines, whereas many Gulf-based airlines have expressed desire to operate services to the Kannur even before the commissioning of the Airport. Apart from Air India, Air India Express, GoAir, Air Arabia, Qatar Airways, Air Asia India, Ethihad Airways, Jet Airways, Silk Air, Gulf Air, Oman Air, Spice Jet, Emirates, Fly Dubai, and Indigo are the airlines that have come forward.

The Runway

After 2010 Mangaluru air crash, the AAI had proposed to expand MIA’s new runway. The existing runway meets the requirements of Airbus 320/321 and Boeing-737 aircraft. Expansion is must to felicitate the landing of wide-bodied aircraft like Boeing-777 and Boeing-747. However, recently the AAI took a U-turn and indefinitely postponed its proposed runway expansion plans. AAI chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra recently wrote to Karnataka Chief Secretary Subhash Chandra Khuntia saying the expansion project is not feasible.

Quoting AAI, Rao said that the runway expansion project cost turns out to be too high, financially not viable and there is no guarantee that wide-bodied aircraft will land at the Airport even if huge amount is invested in extending the runway. Even if the runway is extended from the existing 2,450 metres to at least 3,050 metres (minimum requirement for wide-bodied aircraft to land), the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) may not give permission for it as it is a table top runway, he says.

On the other hand, Kannur Airport has a grater runway. The construction of a 3050 m runway began in Q4 2013 and completed on 29 April 2016. In September 2016, the KIAL board decided to increase the runway length to 4000m (13,123 ft) in Phase I itself along with a full parallel taxiway to enhance safety as reported earlier. When completed, Kannur will be the fourth airport in India to have a runway length of 4000 m after Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Kodagu farmers upbeat

In the absence of the airport, the coffee planters and farmers in Kodagu involved in pepper cultivation, orange and anthurium farming were yearning for a better market.

Even if the farmers wanted to export their produce to other countries where such crops are much in demand, they were dependent on Bengaluru or Mumbai Airports. Although there was much demand for orange and anthurium in Gulf countries, the lack of facilities had become a hurdle.

Now, they see a ray of hope in the upcoming Kannur Airport, which may not only create further demand for native products, but also boost tourism, feel the representatives of Kodagu District Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KDCCI). Recently a team of KDCCI also held talks with their counterparts from North Malabar Chamber of Commerce and Industry from Kerala towards promoting tourism opportunities.

Comments

Tom
 - 
Monday, 2 Jul 2018

Let India progress. Let there be a healthy competition for the over all growth of our country. Kannur's main competion should be with Kochi. Let all the airports in India rise above the Indian standard!

faheem
 - 
Thursday, 12 Apr 2018

I will choose kannur airport, because price will be less, i request more flights from kannur to gulf region.

ali
 - 
Thursday, 7 Dec 2017

As a mangalorean it is better to land in Kannur in order to get relief from trouble by saffron authorities for no reason.

Sameer
 - 
Wednesday, 8 Nov 2017

I am from Mangalore, I will definitely use Kannur Airport. Mangalore Airport staff/authorities are infamous for mistreating the passengers. Last year, they didn't return my visa copy. I had to ask for it. 

 

Recently, after arrival they took more than 1 and half hour to release the luggage from the aircraft to the belt. All passengers were waiting tirelessly.

 

Rizwan
 - 
Monday, 2 Oct 2017

Some mangalorean May use Kannur to avoid  the mangalore table top runway & trouble of  air indiA express staff and flight.

Ahmed K. C.
 - 
Monday, 2 Oct 2017

Those passengers from Northern Kerala presently using Mangalore airport would surely use Kannur airport in future. Also those people from around Mangalore who are troubled by authorities at Mangalore may also move towards Kannur airport. 

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Agencies
February 25,2020

New Delhi, Nov 25: According to multiple media reports, at least 11 people were killed and around 150 injured in the large scale violence unleashed by the Sangh Parivar activists to suppress anti-CAA agitation in the capital of India.

Violence was reported from Jaffrabad, Chandbagh, Maujpur, Bhajanpura, Gokulpuri, Khajuri Khas, Kardampuri, Dayalpur and Hauz Rani and prohibitory orders were clamped in several areas of North East Delhi. 

The MHA said the situation was under control and paramilitary forces have been deployed in large numbers in trouble spots. The Gokulpuri tire market was set on fire. The violence has also led to the destruction of several crores worth of property. 

As tension smouldered in the national capital's northeast and the sun set over another restive day, violence cut a swathe through several localities, including Chand Bagh and Bhajanpura, with stones and other missiles hurled and shops set ablaze.

Rioters damaged two fire tenders in Gokulpuri and crowds raising incendiary slogans set on fire fruit carts, rickshaws and anything that came in their way in the epicentre of the trouble Maujpur and other places.

With US President Donald Trump also in the city, Delhi Police ramped up security. It fired teargas shells to disperse the rioters -- armed with stones, rods and even swords and many wearing helmets to protect themselves -- and was assisted by paramilitary personnel.

Streets were littered with mangled remains of vehicles, bricks and burnt tyres, mute testimony to the violence and bloodshed that took on a communal taint on Monday and injured about 180 people, including 48 police personnel.

According to GTB Hospital Medical Superintendent Sunil Kumar, six people were declared brought dead on Tuesday, taking the death toll in 11. At least 35 injured people were also taken to the hospital today.

"Fifty per cent of those injured have sustained bullet injuries," Kumar added.

As the violence continued unabated, police officials said the situation was under control and flag marches were conducted in Bhajanpura, Khajuri Khas and other places.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened a meeting with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Police chief Amulya Patnaik and others to address the situation.

The meeting resolved that workers of political parties should join hands to restore peace and peace committees should be reactivated in all localities.

In scenes not seen in the national capital for decades, frenzied groups thrashed people on the road and vandalised vehicles.

The media also came under attack.

Akshay, a journalist with JK 24X7 News, received a bullet injury and was in a serious condition in hospital, and two reporters from NDTV were beaten and punched by rioters. Many other journalists were heckled and told to go back.

Schools were shut and fearful residents stayed indoors as restless crowds roamed the streets, seemingly unmindful of prohibitory orders restricting the assembly of more than four people imposed on Monday.

"There is hardly any police presence in the area. Rioters are running around threatening people, vandalising shops. Families need to be evacuated. We are unsafe in our own homes," said a resident of Maujpur, requesting anonymity.

Another added that this is the first time in 35 years -- possibly since the 1984 anti-Sikh riots -- that he has seen a situation such as this. "The area had always remained peaceful," he told PTI.

Trouble continued through the day.

Around 5 pm in Chand Bagh, for instance, security personnel were pelted with stones. They chased the mob, only to be attacked afresh with some people also armed with petrol bombs.

A few residents in Yamuna Vihar and Jaffrabad told PTI they had seen rioters with swords in their hands.

The 11 killed include Delhi Police head constable Ratan Lal. While Lal died of gunshot wounds, it is still not yet clear what killed the others or who they all were.

Among those killed was Vinod Kumar, a resident of Ghonda who was brought dead to the hospital and whose body is at the morgue of the Jag Parvesh Hospital.

Also killed was Mohammad Furkan from Kardampuri, near Jafrabad, who got married in 2014 and has two children. His brother, Mohammed Imran, overcome with grief, said they were both in the handicrafts business.

"He had gone to get some food for his children. Someone told me he had been shot. I couldn't believe it as I had met him barely an hour earlier. I kept calling him... I then rushed to GTB Hospital where I was told that he is dead," he told reporters, sobbing inconsolably outside the hospital.

Imran blamed BJP leader Kapil Mishra's tweet, giving Delhi Police an ultimatum to clear the streets of protesters and saying people would be quiet only until Trump is in India.

"Before that everything was peaceful," he said.

One person seen brandishing a gun before police on Monday was identified as Shah Rukh and been arrested yet. Police said 11 FIRs have been filed.

Kejriwal, who held a meeting with senior officials and MLAs of all parties to discuss the situation, asked people to refrain from violence and said all issues can be dealt with through dialogue.

"Stop this madness," he said after visiting the injured in GTB Hospital.

"I have met the people who were injured, also met some people who sustained bullet injuries. The biggest concern is to stop the violence. I appeal to everyone to stop the violence," he said.

Five stations on the Delhi Metro's Pink Line were closed for the second consecutive day on Tuesday in the wake of the trouble.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Amit Sharma underwent an operation on Monday night for the head injury sustained during the clashes.

Comments

Angry Indian
 - 
Wednesday, 26 Feb 2020

pakistan is very very happy to see this because we indian MARONS fighting each other as a HINDu & MUSLIM destroying our country with our own hand..

great india..jai hind

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News Network
May 7,2020

Amaravati, May 7: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said that Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has assured him to offer immediate help to stranded Andhra fishermen.

Around 300 Andhra Pradesh fishermen are stranded on the coast of Malpe village in Udupi district.

"Karnataka CM has responded very positively and assured to offer the stranded fishermen immediate help. The fishermen hail from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh.

Yediyurappa has also said that their team was also contacting Andhra Pradesh authorities to safely bring them back to their home state," Naidu said in a statement on Twitter.

In a separate letter to Yediyurappa, Naidu lauded the tremendous efforts that the government of Karnataka has been putting to fight COVID-19 and expressed his solidarity with the people there in this critical time.

Naidu said that many Telugu people that have migrated to other states for work were facing various problems due to the COVID-induced lockdown.

"In this backdrop, I would like to bring to your notice that around 300 fishing folk from Srikakulam District are stranded in Malpe Village, Udupi District, Karnataka. Their families, relatives and well-wishers are deeply worried for their safety and well being," Naidu said.

The TDP chief said that on behalf of those families and on his own behalf, he would appeal for sending the stranded fishermen back to their respective homes.

"In case that is not possible, I request you to provide them with shelter, food, water, medical aid and other essential commodities until the end of COVID lockdown," TDP chief said in a letter.

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News Network
April 21,2020

Global oil markets remained under intense pressure on Tuesday, with Brent crude dropping below $20 per barrel for the first time in 18 years while other major benchmarks across the world tumbled. 

Brent, the international crude marker, slipped to $18.10, indicating that markets see no immediate let-up to the collapse in oil demand that sent some US oil benchmarks plunging under $0 for the first time on Monday, leaving producers paying for buyers to take their oil away while available storage is scarce.

Coronavirus has sent the oil sector into a state of crisis, with lockdowns implemented by authorities to smother the outbreak slashing demand for crude by as much as a third.

Contracts for the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for delivery next month tumbled as low as minus $40 a barrel on Monday. Analysts at Citi warned that “if global storage worsens more quickly, Brent could chase WTI down to the bottom”.

The collapse in the May WTI contract was partly a technical product of the fact that it expires on Tuesday, meaning trading volumes were low and making the contract for June delivery more noteworthy, analysts said. That contract held above $20 a barrel on Monday but slid as much as 42 per cent on Tuesday to trade at lows of $11.79, suggesting the blowout in the May contract was more than a blip and that the entire global oil market faced challenges.

Goldman Sachs analysts said the June contact was likely to face downward pressure in the coming weeks, pointing to the “still unresolved market surplus”.

“As storage becomes saturated, price volatility will remain exceptionally high in coming weeks,” they said. “But with ultimately a finite amount of storage left to fill, production will soon need to fall sizeably to bring the market into balance, finally setting the stage for higher prices once demand gradually recovers.”

Warren Patterson, head of commodities strategy at ING, said it was likely that “storage this time next month will be even more of an issue, given the surplus environment”.

“And so in the absence of a meaningful demand recovery, negative prices could return for June,” he added.

European equities traded lower, partly dragged down by weaker energy stocks. The continent-wide Stoxx 600 was down 1.9 per cent, with its oil and gas sub-index dropping 3.3 per cent. In London the FTSE shed 1.7 per cent, while Frankfurt’s Dax slid 2.3 per cent. 

Equities were also broadly lower in Asia, with futures tipping US stocks to fall 1 per cent when trading in New York begins later.

On Wall Street overnight, the S&P 500 closed down 1.8 per cent, partly because of weakness in energy shares, but also due to increased pessimism over the time it will take for countries to emerge from lockdowns.

In fixed income, the yield on the 10-year US Treasury fell 0.03 percentage points to 0.585 per cent as investors retreated to the safety of the debt.

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