Kochi airport gets Rs. 50cr waterway link

Kochi : The Cochin International Airport Limited is all set to become the first airport in the country to get direct waterway connectivity to a major seaport entailing a total investment of Rs. 50cr, State Waterway Minister, P J Joseph said, adding that the work on the proposed project is all set to start very shortly as the facility will enable flyers to travel by boat to the city thereby saving time and money as the government is connecting the airport with high powered jetty through the waterways. He added that the Cochin International Airport Limited is keen to participate in the venture and has offered to invest Rs. 3cr in the project and expressed the hope that the project can be completed within 18 months. The waterway connectivity will give a great fillip to the proposal of the airport company in its efforts to set up a cargo village by the side of the airport. The Inland Waterway Authority of India has already carried out the survey in which it has divided the 50km long waterway into three stretches including Seaport to Eloor and from Eloor to Kanjoor and Kanjoor to the airport.