Bengal Aerotropolis' 10,000 crore airport city project at Andal in Bardhaman district, in which Singapore's Changi Airport holds a 26 per cent stake, is in jeopardy.
The West Bengal government has decided to develop another airport about 40km away at Asansol in the same district, putting the viability and technical feasibility of the project in question.
Subrata Paul, chief executive officer of BAPL said, “We have heard about the state government's plan. We do not want to comment on that. So far, our project is concerned we are going ahead with it. We are expecting to make the airport operational by September next year.”
“The Cabinet recently approved setting up of airports at Balurghat, Malda, Asansol, Digha and the Sunderbans. The land for setting up the airports has been identified,” said law minister of the state Moloy Ghatak, adding, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently wrote to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) seeking permission for setting up the airports. According to Ghatak, who is also an MLA from Asansol (North) constituency, the government will not have acquire any land to rebuild the Asansol airport as it already owns over 550 actres of land around it.
Incidentally, Bengal Aerotropolis Projects (BAPL), has already received 1818 acres from the West Bengal government and is expecting to complete the first phase of the work which includes setting up of the airport and related infrastructure, by the second half of 2012. In the first phase, the company is making an investment of Rs 600 crore.
BAPL's projects have faced other hurdles from the new government's policies. In keeping with the state government policy of not acquiring land for industrial projects, BAPL has already been forced to cut short the 2,300 acres airport city project area by 144 acres, which was to be acquired by the government. Another 338 acres was in the process of being acquired and Paul was hopeful of getting it in the next couple of months.
After the completion of the first phase of the airport, the BAPL plans to start work on the airport city, comprising a IT park, hospitals and a residential complex.
But other operational issues may be in the offing, as well. Asked whether there could be any technical problem having two airports within 40km of each other, Goutam Mukherjee, regional executive directorate (east) of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) who is in charge of non-functional airports including that of Asansol, said, "Technically it is possible, but some operational adjustments may be required." He also added that he was not aware about the proposed renovation work at Asansol airport.
