Succumbing to pressures from the left parties, the committee on infrastructure set up under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has decided to undertake the modernisation and upgradation of the Kolkata airport under Airport Authority of India (AAI). AAI will invest Rs 1,542 crore to upgrade the airport, which would include adding a new terminal for domestic and international traffic, and increasing its capacity to handle over 20 million passengers annually (from the current capacity of 4.4 million).About Rs 1,300 crore will be spent by AAI for a new terminal, Rs 100 crore for upgrading cargo as well as the runaway, while the upgradation of navigational systems would require another Rs 100 crore. The government has deferred its decision on the privatisation of the Chennai airport. Briefing reporters in Delhi, Civil Aviation minister Praful Patel said: "There is no clarity on land and we will take a final decision in consultation with the state government and go by their approach."The committee will meet again on 31st May to take a final call on the Chennai airport.
