T’puram: Uncertainty looms large over the expansion of Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, known as Project Anantha, due to administrative bottlenecks in obtaining environmental clearance. Centre’s delay in approving the list of new committee members for State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), forwarded by state govt, is cited as the reason. Though state govt submitted the new list two months ago, Centre hasn’t taken any decision on it.Originally scheduled to begin in April 2025, the project is now on hold after the previous SEIAA committee, responsible for reviewing and granting environmental approvals, expired on March 5. Even after four months, a new committee is yet to be formed, stalling progress on one of Kerala’s most ambitious infrastructure developments.Airport operator Adani Airport Holdings Ltd submitted detailed plans for redeveloping terminals 1 and 2, which included a five-star hotel, underground parking, expanded passenger facilities and various commercial amenities. The revised master plan, which incorporated recommendations from ministry of environment, forest and climate change, was under review when SEIAA committee’s term expired, effectively freezing all decisions. Although SEIAA requested some modifications, the process couldn’t continue due to the committee’s dissolution. As a result, critical approvals required to commence construction remain pending.Aviation secretary K Biju confirmed that state govt submitted a list of new SEIAA committee members to Union ministry of environment and forests for approval. He told TOI that once Centre gives the green light, the new committee will be constituted and clearing the airport terminal expansion will be treated as a top priority. Until then, no construction activity can begin.According to sources close to the airport, a public hearing is due before obtaining environmental clearance. The public hearing is for clearance from Kerala state pollution control board. “We are waiting for the public hearing to be called by the pollution control board. That has to be decided by the board. However, we have not been informed about the hearing so far. Besides, the initial proceedings for Project Anantha are also yet to be completed,” a source said.Project Anantha aims to transform the airport into a major international gateway capable of handling 27 million passengers annually and 0.42 million tonnes of cargo. One major structural feature of the plan is vertical expansion of the terminal building, with two separate levels for domestic and international passengers. Demolition of the existing domestic terminal has been deferred until after 2027 and will be reconsidered in the next control period. Meanwhile, the airport has been experiencing a significant rise in both passenger traffic and flight operations, further straining its outdated infrastructure.
