New Delhi: Despite the flood waters being pumped out, authorities have decided to push the reopening of Kochi airport by three more days to 29 August as the solar panels and periphery walls damaged by the Kerala floods are yet to be repaired. The Kochi airport was slated to open on 26 August, 11 days after it was shut on 15 August due to water ingress.
Around 800 runway lights at the Kochi airport have been rendered useless due to the floods. About 2,600 metres of periphery walls are damaged, as are the airport’s power storage facility and circuits.
The airport has suffered an estimated loss of more than ₹ 220 crore. A few airlines, at present, are operating flights from airports at Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, and the Kochi naval airbase.