Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 16 (IANS): The upcoming Kannur international airport will commence commercial operations in September, a Kerala minister said on Tuesday.

The Director General of Civil Aviation has given clearance and a defence aircraft will touch down at the airport on February 29, Ports and Excise Minister K. Babu told reporters here.

Babu has been entrusted with the job of overseeing the construction of the airport from the beginning.

Kannur airport is located at Mattanur in Kannur district of Kerala. Once completed, it will be the fourth international airport in Kerala after the ones in Kozhikode, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram.

"Normally, it takes three to five years to construct an airport. All records have been broken at Kannur. The airport costing Rs.1,892 crore will have a 3,400-metre runway which will be extended to 4,000 metres in the second phase," Babu said.

Work at the airport began in 2014. It is one of the flagship projects of the Oommen Chandy-led United Democratic Front government, along with Vizhinjam Port, Kochi Metro and Kochi Smart City project.