Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Unveils Vision to Turn Kochi Airport Into Global Aviation Industry Hub

Kochi: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said that the LDF government's vision for Kochi International Airport is to transform it from a travel hub into a world-class aviation industry centre. He was inaugurating Phase One of Cochin International Airport Limited’s (CIAL) mega project, Aero Park.

The Chief Minister said the initiative aims to position Kochi as a major aircraft maintenance hub on India’s aviation map. As part of the expansion, CIAL has launched an Aviation Pressure-Fed Fire Fighting Facility at a cost of Rs 8 crore, a major step in aviation training that will prepare personnel to operate in hazardous conditions.

He also announced that a state-of-the-art underwater crew maintenance and training facility—the first of its kind within an airport in India—is under development. The Rs 3 crore project will equip rescue teams to handle emergencies involving water bodies.

He noted that with the completion of the second phase of Aero Park, which includes the CIAL IT Park, and the third phase, which will feature Aerocity, the airport will evolve into a comprehensive aviation ecosystem.

Highlighting CIAL’s growth over the past decade, the Chief Minister said the airport reflects how long-term development initiatives have reshaped infrastructure in the state. He pointed out that the CIAL 2.0 project, which fully digitalised airport operations, was launched last year. During this period, several key facilities were introduced, including an international-standard business jet terminal, an aero lounge for passengers, the Taj Kochi Airport Hotel, and a modern import cargo terminal.

Innovations such as the in-house DG travel system for passengers and projects like Operation Pravah, aimed at preventing flooding in the airport area, have further enhanced CIAL’s reputation. The Chief Minister said the airport’s growth is a matter of pride not only for Kerala but for the country as a whole.

Industries Minister P Rajeev presided over the function. Harris Beeran MP, MLAs Anwar Sadath and Roji M John, Chief Secretary Dr A Jayathilak, CIAL Directors M A Yusuffali, E K Bharat Bhushan, N V. George and Varghese Jacob, Managing Director S Suhas, and several local body representatives and officials, including CIASL Managing Director Santosh J Poovattil, were also present.