BAPL-Changi JV to set up merchant airport in North

After Durgapur, the Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Limited (BAPL) and Changi Airports International (CAI) tie-up is looking at setting up its second merchant airport project in North India.

"We are looking at the three states of Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to set up the third merchant airport," said BAPL director Raj Shekhar Agrawal.

"We are looking at several places in these states and the specific places are yet to be finalised. We will look at places where there is a certain degree of industrialisation so that the setting up of an airport and aerotropolis there is viable," he added.

The model of these airports will be similar to the one coming up at Durgapur.

Meanwhile, CAI, which is currently supervising the construction of the merchant airport in Durgapur, may not only manage the airport and provide technical personnel but also look at investing in the company.

"Changi is definitely open to investing in the airport. Rather than the necessity of funds, it is more the desire for a long term tie-up with such an expert which makes us open to this investment opportunity," said Agrawal.

CAI's work on the Durgapur airport project includes 24 months of supervision of the construction work and 12-18 months of managing the airport. But BAPL is looking at extending the association with Changi to at least four years.

The Durgapur airport, which will be in place in the next two or three years, is estimated to handle passenger traffic of over 300,000 a year by 2010. The project, located at Andal, 10 km from Durgapur on the Durgapur-Asansol road (NH2), would be spread across 2,300 acres.

The company, which will have the management team for the airport ready in the next 2-3 months, is also looking at a Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and aviation academy ventures along the airport projects.

The MRO would look at servicing regional, light and very-light planes. Both these projects will be implemented through tie-ups with international partners.