Kolkata,Chennai airports upgrade plan to take off by year-end:Patel

Mumbai, Apr 27 (UNI) The government will start the work on modernising the airports at Kolkata and Chennai by this year-end, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said today.

At the same time, he said, the process of upgrading 35 non-metro airports across the country will be over by the end of 2008.

"We believe in deliverables,'' said Mr Patel while addressing an investors' meet organised by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) consultancy firm based in Sydney. "We also believe in time schedules." The non-metro airports will have multi-modal transport facilities for connectivity with the main city, said Mr Patel.

He said the new aviation policy, which is due to be announced soon, will encourage states to promote regional connectivity.

At present, more than half of aviation activities are centered around Delhi and Mumbai. "There should be re-distribution of traffic to under-utilised airports." Mr Patel said 140 new aircraft parking bays are being constructed at airports in the country. Most of them will be allocated to new airlines which have started operations.

On the proposed merger of Air India and Indian, he said the new merged entity will rank among the top 20 globally and among top five in Asia Pacific region. The merger process will be complete in current fiscal 2006-07, said the Minister.

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