BrahMos Aerospace awaits land transfer to ramp up production

BrahMos Aerospace would be capable of producing 25 BrahMos missiles a year at its Thiruvananthapuram facility once it established a full-fledged missile integration unit here, according to the CEO and MD of the company, Dr A Sivathanu Pillai. This would only become possible once 27 acres of land adjacent to its Chakkai plant are handed over to the company.

The land transfer to the BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (BATL) is dependent on the state government sticking to its promise of making the transfer possible by 31 March of this year.

The land is critical to setting up facilities that will enable BATL to launch the second phase of the supersonic cruise missile programme.

The parcel of land adjoining the BATL facility belongs to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The IAF has, in principle, agreed to hand over the land, on condition that substitute land be made available to them elsewhere as it is required for constructing accommodation for their personnel.

The state government intends to acquire land near Chakkai for the Airport Authority of India (AAI), for the development of the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, and now it intends to make provision for the IAF there.

''Unlike in other states, land is a big problem here. We understand that. But we are sure things will go smoothly,'' said Dr Pillai.