Civil Aviation Ministry officials will have their hands full in the coming weeks.
Decisions on a greenfield airport in Patna, fast-tracking airport development in Sriperumbudur (near Chennai) and Chakan (in Pune), and request for proposals for the Navi Mumbai airport in early November are on cards in the next few weeks.
These moves are in line with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s decision in June to give impetus to the development of infrastructure.
While the Prime Minister largely focussed on the Navi Mumbai, Goa and Kannur airport projects , the Ministry has decided to add three more projects to its list.
Process Begins
The decision on the new Patna airport is under consideration as the city has been seeing about 35 per cent growth in air passenger traffic. The existing airport, it is felt, will not be in a position to handle this growth.
For the airports at Sriperumbudur and Chakan, land has been identified and the process of starting work on the project would begin once the State Governments give final clearances, sources said.
“For the new airport near Chennai, the report has been submitted to the Chief Secretary. In Patna, land has yet to be identified for the new airport,” sources said.
Navi Mumbai compensation issue
On the issue of compensation to those who will be displaced due to land acquisition for the Navi Mumbai project, sources said the Maharashtra Government would soon take a call.
“The State Government has agreed to not only provide compensation but also give some developed land to those whose lands are acquired. The matter needs the State Cabinet’s nod after which the compensation will be paid. We expect to be in a position to call RFPs by November and start initial work on the project in about a year,” a senior Government official said.
Also, a meeting is scheduled for early October with the major stakeholders of the airport projects in Kannur (Kerala) and Mopa in Goa.