Kochi: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the objective is to transform Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) into a complete aviation ecosystem. He was speaking after inaugurating the first phase of the CIAL Aero Park. He said the second phase, comprising an IT Park, and the third phase, which includes an Aero City, will be implemented soon.
The Chief Minister said that the success of any development depends on adapting to changing times, adding that CIAL’s strength lies in its ability to implement timely changes while consistently providing world-class airport facilities.
The Aero Park has been conceived as a dedicated hub for aviation-related maintenance, training, and technical support services. Along with existing companies and MRO facilities, new infrastructure worth ₹101 crore has been established at the park. Facilities include aircraft maintenance and parking bays, engine storage units, training halls and classrooms. The Aero Park has also been provided with direct connectivity to both the airport’s operational area and the city side. The project is expected to generate direct employment for around 2,000 people and indirect employment for nearly three times that number. The Aero Park will function as a hub with all the features of a special economic zone.
The Chief Minister said CIAL stands as a clear example of how development initiatives implemented over the past decade are reshaping the country. Through CIAL, Kerala is demonstrating to the world that airports can serve as strong centres of industrial and economic growth, he added.
During the event, the Chief Minister dedicated to the nation the CIASL Business Centre, built at a cost of ₹30 crore with an additional 40,000 square feet of space at the Aero Park; a technical services facility for ensuring airside operational safety, constructed at a cost of ₹13 crore; and India’s largest Aviation Breathing Apparatus Training Gallery, built at a cost of ₹2 crore for firefighter training. The construction of the third hangar, costing ₹45 crore, is currently in progress. In addition, the Chief Minister inaugurated the construction of an Aviation Pressure-Fed Firefighting Facility worth ₹8 crore for aviation safety training and an Underwater Rescue Training Facility costing ₹3 crore, the first of its kind at an airport in India.
Presiding over the function, Minister P. Rajeev said CIAL’s development model, which prioritizes social justice and public welfare, is exemplary. He noted that CIAL was the first airport in India to swiftly overcome the crisis during the Covid period, when the aviation sector faced severe challenges, and return to profitability with strong turnover. The emphasis on business diversification played a key role in this achievement, he said. Kochi Airport has also emerged as an institution that pays a high dividend of 50 percent to its shareholders. The Minister added that CIAL has set a benchmark in employee welfare and has contributed significantly to national development while addressing the legitimate concerns of those who gave up land for the airport.
CIAL Director and industrialist M.A. Yusuffali, MLAs Anwar Sadath and Roji M. John, Member of Parliament P Adv. Harris Beeran, Chief Secretary Dr. Jayathilak IAS, Angamaly Municipal Chairperson Reetha Paul, Nedumbassery Panchayat President Jessy George, Kanjoor Panchayat President Sebastian Paul, Sreemoolanagaram Panchayat President Princy Davis, Angamaly Municipal Councillor T.Y. Elias, CIAL Directors E.K. Bharat Bhushan, N.V. George and Varghese Jacob, CIAL Managing Director S. Suhas IAS, and CIASL Managing Director Santosh J. Poovattil were present at the function.
