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The process of awarding the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for the Kannur international airport will now get expedited with the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment granting the much-awaited environment clearance for the fourth international airport of the State near Mattannur on Friday.
For the State as well as project officials, it was an anxious wait as the expert appraisal committee had cleared the papers at its meeting in Sion on March 25. Since then, the papers had been with the Ministry awaiting clearance.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy confirmed in New Delhi on Friday that the environment clearance was finally granted by the Ministry.
The clearance has enthused the project officials, who are busy with awarding the EPC (Package I) for the airside, which includes complete earthwork, provision of new runway, taxiway, apron, ground lighting, and associated infrastructure including perimeter wall and operational wall.
As 30,421 trees have to be cut down for the airport project, the expert committee had said that necessary permission from the competent authority should be obtained. Compensatory tree plantation on a 1:3 ratio should be carried out and approval of the Forests Department/wildlife warden should be sought for the proposed peacock conservation plan.
Rehabilitation and resettlement of 123 families have been recommended. Corporate social responsibility activities such as medical schemes, education, and infrastructure facilities should be carried out.
Eight companies, including two Indian, have taken the Request for Proposal (RFP) documents for the EPC and pre-bid meetings have been held. The last date for submitting the technical and financial bids is August 19.
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