Centre's green signal for 2nd International airport in Mumbai

Kolkata, Sep 11 (UNI) The Centre has given the go-ahead for construction of a second International airport in the country's financial capital by 2010 following site selection by the International Civil Aviation Corporation(ICAC) at Navi Mumbai.

This was revealed here today by Civil Aviation Secretary Ajay Prasad while speaking to newsmen after addressing members of the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry(BNCCI)on the scenario of India's aviation sector.

Referring to the proposed construction of the second airport in Mumbai after Sahar, Mr Prasad said after scouting for the necessary 3,000 to 4,000 acres of land, the ICAC submitted its final report to the Civil Aviation ministry and the Airport Authority of India(AAI)about ten days ago.

The union ministry had accorded the green signal after the site met all the necessary requirements. The project, worth more than Rs 3,000 crores, will include construction of two parallel long-range runways capable of take off and landing of all types of aircraft, including the largest Boeing 747-B. Mr Prasad said work was expected to start soon with a time-frame of about four years.

On the possibility of a second international airport in Kolkata following increased pressure on the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International(NSCBI) airport, Mr Prasad said since the number of aircraft and passengers was much less than in Mumbai and Delhi,the time was not yet ripe for considering it.

He said while Sahar handled over 600 flights a day and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport more than 540 flights, the NSCBI handled about only 200, which was much below its full capacity.

But,he said,since Kolkata was fast catching up as the busiest industrial hub of the East,it would require a second airport in the next decade.

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