Staff Reporter

EXPATRIATE forum Friends of Tiruvalla (Fota) has decided to intensify efforts for an airport at Aramula, in Pathanamthitta district.

In a statement issued yesterday, the forum said it would campaign among the thousands of non-residents Indians from the Central-Travancore region to contribute liberally to realise the airport project.

It may be recalled that an American based NRI forum of people coming from Kerala, Federation of Keralites Associations of North America (Fokana) had recently decided to go ahead with the ambitious airport project. A company has already been floated for the construction. Seven promoters have already signed the memorandum of understanding (MoI) for the project, said the statement.

An American-based business group, patronised by a native of Aranmula, has already contributed 300 acres to the construction of the airport. The agreement is to complete the construction in a period of three years. The company will hold 26% stake in the airport, it said. The company will formally come into being on February 27.

Fota’s chief patron Dr K C Chacko and K C Philip are members of the steering committee of the airport project, which is initiated by Keralites in North America. The two are also among those included as promoters of the project, said Thomas Kuriyan, general secretary of the Fota in the statement.