CIAL’s Big Leap in Aviation Sector with 36-Acre Aeropark

Kochi: In a major step towards transforming Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) into a centre for excellence in aviation maintenance, training and technical support services in the aviation sector, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will dedicate Phase I of the CIAL Aeropark to the nation on February 9. The project comprises six new facilities developed at a cost of ₹101 crore on 36 acres at Kochi Airport. The inaugural function will be presided over by Industries Minister P. Rajeev, with Revenue Minister K. Rajan and opposition leader V D Satheeshan attending as chief guests.
MLAs Anwar Sadat and Roji M. John, MPs Benny Behanan, Hibi Eden, Jebi Mather, and Harris Beeran, Chief Secretary and CIAL Director Dr. Jayathilak IAS, CIAL Director M.A. Yusuffali, CIAL MD S. Suhas IAS,CIAL Directors E.K. Bharat Bhushan, Aruna Sundararajan, N.V. George, and Varghese Jacob, along with local body representatives, will attend the ceremony.
The Aeropark has been conceived as an integrated ecosystem that brings airport ancillary industries, training centres, and specialised technical departments under a single umbrella. As part of Phase I, the Chief Minister will dedicate three completed projects to the nation, while three additional projects will become operational shortly. The completed facilities include the CIASL Business Centre, a premium co-working space, the Technical Services Facility, designed to make CIAL technologically self-sufficient, and the country’s largest Aviation Breathing Apparatus Training Gallery.
The CIASL Business Centre, built at a cost of ₹30 crore and spread over 40,000 sq ft across two floors, is one of the rare premium co-working spaces in India operated directly by an airport company. The facility can accommodate over 400 professionals and around 30 companies at a time, with modern amenities including private office cabins, conference rooms, restaurants, podcast studios, uninterrupted power supply, high-speed internet, Wi-Fi, and ample parking. Its proximity to the airport and cargo terminal offers strategic advantages to IT, banking, consultancy, aviation, and logistics companies, enabling faster operations, global connectivity, and improved employee efficiency in a congestion-free environment.
A state-of-the-art Technical Services Facility, established at a cost of ₹13 crore, enhances the safety and efficiency of airport operations through a centralised, data-driven maintenance control system. Airport asset protection, preventive maintenance, vendor management, and annual maintenance coordination are now handled under a single hub, enabling continuous performance monitoring of equipment and significantly reducing maintenance time. The facility also oversees the procurement and deployment of advanced machinery and specialised vehicles for airside maintenance, reducing reliance on external agencies. Critical operations such as rubber and paint removal, runway and apron cleaning, and waste management are now carried out in-house in accordance with international engineering standards, further strengthening CIAL’s safety framework.
The Aviation Breathing Apparatus Training Gallery, constructed at a cost of ₹2 crore, is the largest of its kind in the country. Spread across 800 sq ft, the maze-style facility simulates extreme conditions of smoke and darkness to train firefighters in rescue operations under challenging environments. A real-time CCTV monitoring system allows instructors to assess every movement, making it one of the most advanced training facilities in India and the first extensive maze-style smoke gallery to be established within an airport campus.
Three additional projects worth ₹56 crore will soon become operational under Phase I.
The most significant among them is Kerala’s first covered aircraft parking facility with a hangar, being developed at a cost of ₹45 crore. The third-largest hangar at CIAL, spanning 53,800 sq ft with an additional 7,000 sq ft for offices, workshops, component repair, and non-destructive testing facilities, will double CIAL’s MRO capacity by accommodating two narrow-body aircraft simultaneously. The project is expected to generate over 400 direct and 1,000 indirect jobs, marking a significant milestone in CIAL’s growth.
Another landmark initiative is the Aviation Pressure-Fed Fire Fighting Facility, being developed at a cost of ₹8 crore. Modelled on half the length of an Airbus A320 aircraft and powered by eco-friendly LPG, the facility will provide controlled, real-time live-fire training to personnel on handling fires involving aircraft engines, wings, and wheels. This is the first operational facility of its kind in the country, allowing repeated training without soot or smoke and placing CIAL on par with leading global airports in aviation safety standards.
CIAL is also establishing the country’s first underwater rescue training facility within an airport, at a cost of ₹3 crore. Designed to international standards, the centre will train emergency response teams to handle water-related emergencies through scuba diving, underwater search and rescue operations up to six metres deep, and low-light simulations, along with surface-level training in swimming skills and casualty evacuation. This initiative significantly enhances preparedness for emergencies such as ditching and flooding, reinforcing CIAL’s commitment to uncompromising safety.
CIAL Managing Director S. Suhas IAS said the underwater rescue training facility and the live-fire aviation training system, both being set up inside an airport for the first time in India, will elevate CIAL’s safety standards to global benchmarks. He added that Phase II of the Aeropark, including the CIAL IT Park, and Phase III, the ambitious Aero City project, will be launched in the coming years, positioning Kochi as a global aviation hub offering comprehensive maintenance, training, and technical services under one roof.