Time frame on airport transfer cannot be indicated, Centre tells HC

Nagpur, Aug 29 (UNI) A time frame cannot be indicated for the transfer of the city airport to the ambitious Multi-Modal International Air Passenger and Cargo Hub at Nagpur (MIHAN) project, the Central Government informed the High Court here today.

In an affidavit filed before a Division Bench consisting of Justices A H Joshi and R C Chavan, Ministry of Civil Aviation under-secretary Prabhu Ram said the transfer of the airport needed the Union Cabinet's approval and, hence, the government had already initiated the consultation process for it. Cabinet approval was required since the proposal involved the participation of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in the equity of another company, the affidavit said.

The consultation process involved administrative and financial approval of the ministry concerned besides seeking views and comments of the Planning Commission and the other ministries concerned, the affidavit said, adding that a note was then put up before the Cabinet for approval.

''In the instant case, various issues related to expenditure, security, air space management and defence, acquisition of land/agriculture issues are involved besides the basic financial/economic issues. All relevant ministries therefore, would have to be consulted,'' it said.

Additional Solicitor General Amrinder Sharan, who appeared on behalf of the Union Government, argued that since it was purely a policy matter, the court could neither issue any mandamus nor could monitor the pace at which it was required to be formulated or finalised.

However, the bench expressed its unhappiness at the stand. ''If this is your attitude, then we do not like it. You have the right to say what you want to, but we do not like the spirit. You do not want to make a commitment to the public,'' the Bench observed.

The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court is hearing a public interest litigation filed by Vidarbha Jankalyan Wa Vikas Sanstha, a voluntary organisation, seeking the court's directives to the Union Government to set a time frame for the transfer of the airport here for MIHAN. The airport is to be handed over to a joint venture company with equity participation from the Government of Maharashtra and AAI to be developed as part of MIHAN.

UNI