Maharashtra to develop six small airports

28 firms including Reliance Airport & GVK evince interest.

The Maharashtra government's plan to convert airstrips in six smaller cities into airports has evoked good response from the corporate sector.

Around 28 companies have submitted their request for qualification (RFQ), which include ADAG's Reliance Airport Developers Ltd, Anand Jain-promoted Jai Corporation Ltd, GVK, Lanco Infratech Ltd, Maytas Infrastructure Ltd, and Essel Infraprojects Ltd.

The government plans to upgrade airstrips of Nanded, Osmanabad, Latur, Yavatmal, Baramati and Jalgaon.

The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), state government's industrial infrastructure arm, is the nodal agency for the project while Mumbai-based Darashaw Ltd is the consultant.

Speaking with Business Standard, MIDC's chief executive officer Rajiv Jalota said the shortlisting of the companies was expected to be over by the end of January after which the companies would be required to submit request for proposal (RFP) within one month.

The bid process is likely to be completed by mid-2008.

"These airports can be used as a maintenance and parking facility to run aviation academies, and can eventually be turned into commercial airports," said Jalota.