Negligence Against Karipur Airport: MDF's Allegations And The Controversy

Kozhikode, Kerala: For years, the Malabar Development Forum (MDF) has been speaking volumes about the alleged discrimination against Calicut International Airport claiming that a corporate lobby is working to undermine its significance. According to the founder and the president of MDF, KM Basheer, the authorities, without any logic, banned wide-body aircraft after the narrow-body Air India Express flight accident in 2020, reportedly due to pilot error.

Speaking to Timeline, Basheer says the ban is unreasonable as the accident was caused by human error while emphasising that resuming wide-body aircraft is essential for the airport’s development. Alleging ill-intention behind the authorities’ attitude towards the airport, the MDF chief pointed out that the airport is 100 per cent suitable for wide-body aircraft service, as airlines such as Emirates, Saudi Airlines, and Qatar Air, along with Air India’s safety assessment, have proved it.

Read Also: Lives In Pullampara Under Constant Threat Due To Perilous Quarry Operation

Basheer alleges conspiracy to destroy Karipur airport, noting that a lobby is working behind the scenes. He claims the misinformation from the alleged lobbies from Kannur and Kochi to the authorities concerned has led to the current state of Karipur airport. According to Basheer, the lobbies are also bribing officials while reaping big profits at the expense of Karipur’s debilitation, which has good connectivity and significant traffic from the Gulf countries.

As safety concerns for Kozhikode’s tabletop airport, whose runway has a 35-feet-deep gorge on both ends, are reported to be the reason for the suspension of wide-body aircraft, Basheer underscores even the US-based Boeing Technical Data Manager, Sebastian Lavina, whom they contacted for assessing the safety, confirmed the runway is fully fit for the wide-body aircraft. “All the documents regarding the matters are with us,” Basheer claims.

Read Also: “India Is A Country That Is Forever Unfinished…”: Prayaag Akbar At KLF

The MDF has decided to meet with the Director-General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to appeal to resume wide-body aircraft operation at Kozhikode airport. The organization thinks the direct engagement with the director general could help the airport’s development.

The forum recently expressed its objection to Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi’s letter to Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, requesting permission for Hajj pilgrims to shift their embarkation points from Kozhikode airport to other airports in Kerala, citing high airfare charged at Kozhikode for Hajj pilgrims this year.

The Congress leader had written to the Union Minister demanding either the reduction of high airfares or permission to shift embarkation points. Opposing Priyanka Gandhi’s proposal to shift the embarkation point, MDF demanded to make airfares in Kozhikode comparable with those in Kochi and Kannur as it would provide relief to pilgrims from the Malabar region who depend on Kozhikode airport.

According to Basheer, requesting the union government to shift embarkation points to other airports was not a good idea at this time. “If embarkation points were changed for pilgrims who have already applied for Kozhikode airport, it will lead to the permanent closure of Kozhikode embarkation point, warns Basheer. Notably, for the Hajj round flight, Air Indian Express charges Rs 1,20,000 from Kozhikode, while pilgrims from Kochi pay Rs 86,000 and Rs 87,000 for pilgrims from Kannur, marking a significant difference in the fare.

While hoping that the wide-body aircraft services will be resumed after the development works of the End Safety Area (RESA) are complete, Basheer wishes the authorities could have begun a temporary service for wide-body aircraft to alleviate pilgrims’ concerns. He also took note of the worry that the airport is losing the remaining Hajj pilgrims due to the indifference from the authorities.

He also highlighted the delay in RESA development, saying it is progressing at a slow pace. Once it is completed, the authorities will be compelled to allow widebody aircraft operation in the airport, Basheer said, adding that the delay is partly due to the challenges in sourcing soil for the project.

MDF, which has been at the forefront of protests against alleged disregard by authorities, including the government and politicians, against Karippur Airport, works to improve tourism, industry, and the people’s well-being in the Malabar region.