KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the police to provide adequate protection to the construction works of the proposed Aranmula international airport in Pathanamthitta district. A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice P R Ramachandra Menon passed the order while considering a petition filed by KGS Aranmula International Airport Company executive director P T Nandakumar seeking police protection.“The international airport at Aranmula is for the public. It could not be stalled by protesters who take law into their hands. If they are aggrieved by the notification they are free to approach the court,” the bench observed. The petitioner submitted that the company had obtained all necessary clearances required for the project. The Greenfield Airports Policy of the Ministry of Civil Aviation permits private parties to establish and operate airports in India. So the airport at Aranmula built under the aforementioned policy, is legal and the company had invested `300 crore for the project, the petitioner pointed out.The petitioner also submitted that the company had acquired 300 acres of land. While the construction was in progress a group of BJP activists obstructed the work and even damaged the office, he said.The government pleader submitted that permission was granted to commence work on the airport and the area was notified as an industrial area.“The project, once materialised, would generate permanent employment opportunity to not less than 1,500 people, besides generating as many as 7,000 job opportunities in the allied sectors, the petitioner said.The proposed airport would be of great help to the devotees visiting Sabarimala,” the petitioner submitted.
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