Pathanamthitta: The groundwork for the proposed airport at Sabarimala has started, said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Tuesday.
Addressing an online event here, Pinarayi said the necessary permissions for the project have been received from the Centre.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had said in a recent response to a query from Anto Antony MP in the Lok Sabha that the Ministry of Defence has signalled the green light. Environmental clearance was, however, remaining
The airport once completed is expected to benefit pilgrims to the Lord Ayyappa Shrine at Sabarimala and also to the popular pilgrimage centre of Maramon.
During the two-month annual pilgrimage season in November-December, lakhs of pilgrims arrive at the shrine. In the 2022 season, the Travancore Devaswom Board had stated that nearly 30 lakh pilgrims visited the temple.
(With PTI inputs)