No Cabinet approval for greenfield airports within 150 km radius

Cabinet approval for greenfield airports within the 150 km radius of an existing airport is being done away with, according to the new greenfield airports policy, which has recently been sent for Cabinet consideration by the civil aviation ministry.

This would have serious implications for airports in large metro cities including Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai, where a second airport will eventually be a reality.

As things stand, new greenfield facilities being built within 150 km radius of existing airports need Cabinet approval, which is why the Greater Noida proposal went for Cabinet approval.

However, it has now been recommended that only in cases where another administrative ministry has some objection with such proposals, it would be put up to the Cabinet.

Otherwise, a ministry of civil aviation approval will suffice. A high powered steering committee under the chairmanship of the aviation secretary will be authorised to clear such proposals.

In Bangalore "" even as the new airport at Devanhalli came up "" there has been hectic lobbying to secure clearance for a new airport site on the Bangalore-Mysore stretch.

Several states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have come up with private sector proposals for new small airports.

Some of the proposals currently under review are Karaikal airport in Puducherry, Chakan airport in Maharashtra and Kannur airport in Kerala. Karnataka and Maharashtra have identified as many as 15 airports for development.

The Andhra Pradesh government has issued a request for proposal for the development of airports in Nellore, Ramagundam, Kurnool, Ongole, Bobbili, Kothgudam and Nizamabad. Many of these will be cleared by the DGCA itself, once the new policy is cleared.

Other green-field airports "" which are nowhere near existing airports "" can be cleared simply by the DGCA (director general of civil aviation). The idea is to streamline the process for clearance of new airports and to make it easier for the private sector to set up such airports or domestic air strips.

"It was decided that we would not do away with the 150 kilometer radius condition but clearances in such cases will be made easier. In cases where guidelines of some other ministry like defence or home are unaffected, the ministry itself will be able to clear the airport", explained a senior official.

The aviation ministry is keen to see close to 500 airport developed across the country by 2020. This would help the growth of aviation industry as well as enhance connectivity and movement of goods in remote parts of the country, an essential for development.