Government nod for 2nd airport in Delhi

Jan 04:  The Union cabinet of the central government has formally approved to set up a new airport near the capital going against the current aviation policy on Thursday. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has promised to UP Chief Minister Mayawati to award Uttar Pradesh with a newly high tech airport here when she came Delhi for the first time. The government is also feeling the scarcity of airports in major metropolitan cities.

Approving the UP government's proposal to set up a new International standard airport in the state, Union cabinet has referred to construct a new airport in Jevar, Greater Noida on the Taj Express way connecting Delhi to Agra. The new airport will be known as ‘Taj International Aviation Hub' and constructed only 60 km far from the Indira Gandhi International airport situated at Mahipalpur, Delhi near Delhi-Gurgaon border.

This airport will be beneficial for both the state, Delhi and UP because it will eat up almost half of the aviation rush till 2026 as per the experts believes. Delhi needs a supporting airport to handle the pressure of passengers' rush in the future because IGI airport would be able to handle only 100-million passengers annually till 2026 as per Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) estimate.

This new airport will be also very suitable for Agra tourist visitors who comes India to see the Taj. The Taj international aviation hub is proposed to set up in 1,500 hectares of lush green area in Greater Noida as a Greenfield project and the estimating cost for it would be approximately Rs. 3505-crores, as per reports extracted from ministry official.

After establishing Taj international Hub, Delhi will join the prominent club of some top international cities including New York, London and Shanghai that have more than one airport.

Though the Union Cabinet has formally permitted the construction of the airport, but still a long way have to go as it is not decided so far who will construct it and what new amendments will need in the Aviation policy? Now the government will have to make some changes in Aviation policy, 1997 that says, “No new airport should be developed within an aerial distance of 150 km of an existing airport. However, a greenfield project can be permitted if the existing airport is unable to meet the traffic requirements.�

For legalising this proposal, Union cabinet headed by Prime Minister has organised a Group of Ministers, GoM comprising Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Law Minister H.R. Bhardwaj, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel.

The GoM will today decide to revise a provision in the current aviation policy and also looks for the solutions of objections asked by DIAL including UP government's intention to give tax sops to the airport. It pointed out the 10 objections in a note to the Cabinet when the proposal was sent for approval.

As per DIAL's objection, “There was no mention of a second airport so close to Delhi when it signed the request-for proposals for the development of Delhi airport while it was clearly mentioned in the case of the airport at Navi Mumbai.� DIAL has another objection over setting up a new port in UP as, “The present Delhi airport will not reach saturation point in the next few years. It can handle 100 million passengers annually by 2026, while traffic is projected to grow to only 80 million.�

In this response, UP government has replied that as per Airports Authority of India study states that by 2015-16, air traffic at the IGI will hit the 108-million-mark, which would lead to severe congestion and Taj international aviation hub would attract the one third of the total rush estimating 49.8 million and avoid the chances of congestion.

In the race of constructors, the claim of GMR is looking strong which is currently running IGI as well because its bid is not below 90 per cent of the highest bidder for the new airport that matches the best with the condition of the bid as per news came from civil aviation ministry.

The new airport is likely to decide to come into the functional form nearby 2012.