Nagpur airport modernisation to take off soon

MADC to give 400 hectares of land to the Indian Air Force.

With the defence ministry agreeing to the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC)'s proposal to give alternative land outside the proposed new airstrip port, decks have been cleared for the modernisation of the Nagpur airport.

According to an understanding between the Indian Air Force and MADC, the state agency will now give a total of 400 hectares of land to the IAF in lieu of the current scattered 278 hectares in 5 blocks near the proposed 4,000-metre-long second airstrip, to be developed by the company.

The MADC will get the valuations done by the military engineering services. Also, the IAF will be allowed the use of the new airstrip. Currently, it uses the 3,200-metre-long airstrip and the constructed blocks come in the way of the proposed new terminal.

The proposal would also need Cabinet's approval, after which the airport can be transferred to MADC for development. Land transfer from the Airports Authority of India (which owns land measuring 1460.05 acres) has been one of the reasons for the delay in kickstarting the project. The land transfer had to take after 180 days of the signing of the MoU on December 18, 2006.

"We are waiting for the approvals by the respective ministries and by the end of this calendar year we should be able to get a go ahead," said RC Sinha, additional chief secretary, Maharashtra government, who is also the V-C and MD of MADC.

The MADC can then induct a private partner for the development of the airport through bids. Besides Nagpur, the state-owned company is in different stages of development of its other three airports- Shirdi, Jalgaon and Amravati.

"We would be looking at constructing a new airport over 350 hectares at Kakdi in Shirdi, a village barely 13 km from the shrine. Of this, land acquisition for 250 hectares has been complete. The MADC would develop the airport and is looking for an investment worth Rs 70-80 crore with a fast road to the shrine. The Maharashtra government has constituted a committee to do the valuation for the remaining land," said Sinha.

The MADC is also looking to develop airstrips at Jalgaon, and Sholapur where many industries have their base and also at Amravati. "At Jalgaon and Sholapur we would be extending the existing the length of airstrips by another 300 meter from the present 3,200 metre. At Amravati, we would also set up a pilot training institute," said Sinha.