CIAL support for Lanka

As part of the diversification projects, the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) is all set to provide assistance to Sri Lanka in constructing an airport.

A high-level delegation of the officials of the CIAL headed by its Managing Director Shriram Bharath left for Sri Lanka following the invitation of Sri Lankan President Mahindra Rajapakse on Monday to hold preliminary discussions about the feasibility of setting up a new Greenfield Airport in southern Sri Lanka, in line with the CIAL airport here.

Rajapakse was impressed with the facilities provided to the Passengers at the airport here, when he visited Kerala in December.

Shriram Bharath pursued the proposal of the Sri Lankan Authorities through Prime Minister’s Office. T. K. A. Nair, principal secretary to the Prime Minister, took up the matter with C. R Jayasinghe, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India and Lalith Weeratunga, secretary to the President of Sri Lanka.

The active intervention of these officials with the support of Ministry of External Affairs headed by Foreign Secretary Shiv Sankar Menon yielded result when the visit of a delegation of CIAL was cleared.

Besides the CIAL Managing Director, the team included Airport Director A. C. K Nair, general Managers A. M. Shabeer (Civil) and Suresh Babu (Commercial), Sr. Manager K. P Thankachan, Manager C. V. Ajithkumar and Deputy Manager T. Rajendran.

They will hold discussions with the President of Sri Lanka., the Minister of Ports and Aviation and senior officials of the Sri Lankan Government. The delegation will also visit the proposed site for the construction of the Airport. The delegation will return on February 2.