Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will launch four major projects being implemented by the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), out of back-to-back initiatives worth Rs 1,000 crore.

Pinarayi Vijayan was speaking after inaugurating its latest venture Taj Cochin International Airport, a five-star hotel built by CIAL and operated by IHCL (Indian Hotels Company Ltd) Taj Group.

“With the Kochi airport continuing to witness over one crore footfalls in a year, CIAL has to increase the services as well. This led to the CIAL board deciding to make full land utilisation, resulting in the setting up of a 5-star hotel located just 500 metres away from the airport,” the Chief Minister said.

Kochi is the second airport in India to introduce a hotel under this business model, utilising its land for strategic ventures, he pointed out. The CIAL authorities expect the passenger traffic to grow further to 1.25 crore in the next three years.

Over the past five years, CIAL has launched a number of projects — Arippara Hydro Electric Station, Payyanur Solar Plant, Business Jet Terminal, Import Cargo Terminal and 0484 Aero Lounge, he said.