Two of Kerala's airports need major upgrades - they could learn from Kochi Nedumbassery

A brand new seaport in Vizhingham that could yet redefine the Kerala state’s economy.

New highways and roadworks across the length and breadth of the state are done with a lot of planning and skillsets. Yet, it feels that the south Indian state needs one crucial piece - top-notch and upgraded airports - to fill up the infrastructure roadmap and power up some growth possibilities.

Sure, the Nedumbassery airport in Kochi has gone through some recent expansion, which has found favour with passengers and airlines alike.

The Thiruvananthapuram airport terminals (domestic and international), now managed by the influential Adani Group, can still do with some quality upgrades. It is getting one, with the announcement last year of an Rs13 billion expansion to be completed by 2027.

It will help because the current facility still reeks of something from the 1990s - and that's already quite dated in the business of infrastructure.

The Thiruvananthapuram International clearly needed some reimagining of what an airport should be, more so given its status as one of the key entry points for overseas tourists and corporate travellers to the state. (The airport could also do much better with its duty-free area and retail options that aren’t about selling overpriced handicrafts, sandwiches, and coffee.) However, the one Kerala state airport that needs some real-time support is in Kannur. The possibilities for better management - even a more enlightened development vision - are endless for Kannur airport—especially given the potential that can instantly be tapped from the sizable Kerala expats in the Gulf who will want to fly in and out of this airport. 

And yet, the way the Kannur facility operates right now, there is always the feeling that the true potential is far from being realized. Many passenger complaints are voiced aloud, yet the management of the airport is falling short of correcting these issues. For a start, Kannur airport could do with more airlines signing up to launch services - will a new management be the answer to turn around this airport’s fortunes?

In other words, should the Kannur airport also come under private management with the state as a key shareholder? The alliance with Adani for Thiruvananthapuram airport offers a template where Kerala can actually benefit from a public-private partnership. This is where the Rs13 billion expansion, once it clears key project milestones, will create its own momentum that feeds into the wider economy.

Kannur Airport cannot afford to fall behind in the development and growth sweepstakes. More so, Kerala has the precedent to show what bringing in private investors and funding can do to create airports. Look no further than the Cochin International Airport, which to anyone who doesn’t know was the first in India to be developed under a PPP model.

With that kind of history, there is so much that the Kerala government can replicate with Kannur. Yes, Kerala has been talking up the prospects of a new airport - in Kottayam - for the state, but the authorities should not lose sight of getting more from what already exists.

Success in Kochi and the many prospects that open up with Adani Group in Thiruvananthapuram should be enough incentive to crack on a Kannur airport future masterplan. There is a window of opportunity, and the authorities must ensure they are right on time to make use of it…