RIL's Gurgaon, Rewas SEZs get BoA approval

The government today gave formal approval to Mukesh Ambani-promoted Reliance Industries' multi-services special economic zone in Haryana and in-principle nod to its port-based SEZ in Maharashtra, besides clearing 31 others including that of GMR's Hyderabad airport.

The Board of Approvals (BoA) in the Commerce Ministry gave formal clearance to the 440 hectare SEZ of RIL in Gurgaon and in-principle nod to its 2,850 hectare zone at Rewas in Maharashtra.

"Of the 44 proposals on the agenda, we have given formal approvals to 24 and in-principle to nine, while the rest were deferred," Commerce secretary and BoA xhairman Gopal K Pillai told reporters.

The Rewas SEZ is strategically important since it would be the last halt on Railways' Delhi-Mumbai freight corridor and is close to Jawaharlal Nehru Port. According to officials, about 200 high-speed freight trains would run on the corridor which will also link SEZs, industrial complexes and ports.

Infrastructure firm GMR received formal approval for its 101 hectare SEZ linked to the greenfield airport under construction in Hyderabad. With this multi-product zone, Hyderabad will become a cargo hub for airlines.

The Uttar Pradesh government again asked the central government to defer three of the proposals referred by the previous Mulayam Singh government as the new Mayawati regime wanted to review all SEZs proposed in the state. Those deferred at the instance of the state government were IT SEZs of DLF, Falcon and Perfect in Noida. The state government had earlier withdrawn Anil Ambani group's proposal for an SEZ in Noida.

Pillai also said the BoA was awaiting views of promoters Mukesh Ambani and his associate Anand Jain as well as the Maharashtra government on the Navi Mumbai SEZ.