The Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) is finally getting a fresh push from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
At least five companies, including a US-based IT company, have committed to invest in excess of $500 million to set up campuses at the site, if they get the land parcel in a non-SEZ area on an outright allotment basis.
A senior Maharashtra Government official said that the Chief Minister had met executives from the IT company on December 16.
They had also toured the MIHAN site along with a delegation led by Thomas Vajda, Consul General of US in Mumbai. Vajda was accompanied by senior executives of companies such as Corning India, APCO Worldwide, Jabil Circuit, Boeing, Amazon.com, Honeywell International and Colgate-Palmolive.
The official said that Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd (MADC) is considering the allocation request. “They were satisfied with the various infrastructure facilities provided at the site. However, we have not yet signed any agreement,” the official said when asked to divulge further details about their plans in MIHAN.
The official said that Fadnavis has assured the delegates that the State government will expedite decisions and create industry friendly environment for the companies in MIHAN.
The Chief Minister also delineated steps taken by his Government for the Make in India campaign. Indian IT major such as Infosys, Tech Mahindra, HCL Technologies, Wipro Technologies, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Hexaware Technologies have already taken up land for setting up campuses.
Earliest tenantIn fact, the earliest tenant of MIHAN was Satyam Computers, which had managed to acquire 128 acres around the 100 acre Telhara lake, a local water body. The site has now been transferred to Tech Mahindra as a part of the Satyam acquisition.
TCS has a 54-acre property in the MIHAN SEZ and is setting up a software development campus with an investment of ₹600 crore.
Over the last 10 years, the State government, through the Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd (MADC), has been trying to develop MIHAN project, spread over 4,000 hectares. MIHAN is located about 15 km from downtown Nagpur.