NSCBI to be a major hub following modernisation : Patel

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Kolkata, Sep 7 (UNI) With a 12-fold increase in traffic handling capacity, the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International airport in Kolkata will be made into a major hub following its modernisation, beginning early next year, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel today said.

" The modernisation of NSCBI airport will begin in January, 2008.

It will be made into a major hub for the East and North-East, " he told reporters after a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

The one-hour-long meeting at the state Secretariat, that discussed to bring the state high on the country's aviation map, also decided to set up a new airport at Andal in Bardhaman district, upgrade Bagdogra as an international airport and start air services to and from Coochbehar airport this month.

Describing the meeting as "very fruitful", Mr Patel said the first phase of modernisation of NSCBI airport modernisation, involving an expenditure of Rs 2000 crore, would increase the passenger handling capacity to 20 million from the present five million.

He said the passenger handling capability of the airport will ultimately reach to 60 million.

" It will be developed at par with the airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, " Mr Patel said.

He said the first phase of modernisation would be completed by June 2010 for which an international tender would be floated shortly.

The project would be executed by an international consortium on turnkey basis, he said.

Expressing happiness over the outcome of the meeting, the Chief Minister announced that a new airport at Andal in Bardhaman district would be constructed at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore.

To be set up jointly by the Civil Aviation Ministry, HUDCO, Pragati Infrastructure, West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation and Andal-Bardhaman Development Authority, the proposed airport would require 2,300 acre of land.

" The airport will be developed in a way so that it can handle traffic for the next 25 years, " Mr Bhattacharjee said.

To a question, Mr Patel said while the Centre was exploring the possibility of developing Bagdogra airport in Darjeeling district into an international hub, air traffic would begin to and fro Cooch Behar airport by the middle of this month with Air Deccan operating the maiden flight.

He said the state government sought Lufthansa's thrice-a-week service to be made into daily and the Centre would study its possibility.

UNI

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