Work on air cargo complex to be launched soon

Thiruvananthapuram: Work on the second phase of the cargo complex at Kozhikode airport will be formally launched on October 18.

The second phase comprises construction of the administrative block of the cargo complex. The block, with an area of 2,140 square metres, will have all the facilities for various departments and agencies, according to an official release.

The project, estimated to cost Rs. 5 crore, is being implemented by the state-owned Steel Industrial Ltd. An amount of Rs. 1 crore has already been spent over the last two years for constructing an export bay and for providing other facilities like X-ray machine as part of the first phase of the expansion.

These apart, the cargo complex is equipped a with fully-networked computer set-up. With the completion of the second phase of expansion, the cargo movement to the airport from the Malabar area, including handloom products for export, is expected to go up significantly.

In 2007-08, the cargo complex in the airport had handled import and export of 11,000 tonnes.

The State Government has given in-principle approval to Kerala State Industrial Enterprises (KSIE) for acquiring 10 acres of land for purpose of establishing an air cargo complex within the airport itself along with the modernisation of the airport. KSIE is planning to set up a cargo complex of international standards there, according to officials.