AAI to modernise Kolkata airport: CoI meet

New Delhi, Apr 18 (UNI) The Committee on Infrastructure (CoI) headed by prime minister Manmohan Singh today approved a proposal to modernise the Kolkata airport by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore.

The development came a day after the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and its affiliated trade union Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) sharply criticised the Planning Commission for suggesting that a newly-set up subsidiary of the AAI should modernise airports at Kolkata, Chennai and 35 other non-metro cities with private sector participation.

Civil aviation minister Praful Patel clarified after the CoI meeting that the modernisation and upgradation plan for Kolkata airport will not be through a special purpose vehicle (SPV).

After the first phase, Kolkata international airport will be able to handle 20 million passengers per year compared to five million passengers at present. The plan includes a brand new terminal building and upgradation of communication and navigational systems.

The funding will be through internal accruals of the AAI and, if required, borrowings. Mr Patel said the civil aviation ministry will now approach the Public Investment Board (PIB) for clearance.

In case of Chennai, he said, it is not clear as yet whether the land available with the state government is close to the airport or not. ''We hope to have the clarification by May-end.'' The minister said the Tamil Nadu state government will decide whether the modernisation exercise of Chennai airport should be done by the AAI or through public-private partnership along the line of Delhi and Mumbai international airports.

UNI