India plans to open between ten and 15 airports by 2017 to boost regional connectivity.

Union Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju  was quoted by Press Trust of India as saying: "The work on regional connectivity is in progress.

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"We have developed a scheme for regional connectivity. There are 31 or 32 unconnected airports and we are planning to activate some of them and 10 or 15 airports may be activated by next year."

"There are 31 or 32 unconnected airports and we are planning to activate some of them and 10 or 15 airports may be activated by next year."

Meanwhile, the Kannur International Airport (KIAL) at Mattannur in Kannur district of the southern state of Kerala will be become operational by mid-2017.

The deadline was originally March 2017, but has been delayed for further trials and tests.

Construction work on the airport is expected to be completed by March or April.

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Once the airport becomes operational, Kerala would become the only state in India to have four international airports.

The airport would feature a 3,050m runway with particular focus on Gulf sector.

KIAL managing director V Thulasidas told Times of India that 14 airlines, including Silk Air, are interested in operating, and Emirates plans to operate two daily flights.

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