DIAL cries foul at IGI’s competitor

New Delhi: Alarmed at the swift pace at which the Union government is clearing the decks for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s proposed greenfield international airport at Jewar in Greater Noida. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) — the joint venture company modernising Delhi’s IGI Airport — has officially told the Civil Aviation Ministry that the move may put the entire expansion project at IGI “in jeopardy” as the two airports are just 68 kilometers away from each other.
DIAL has expressed “deep anxiety” over the possibility of losing out on significant air traffic in case a second airport comes up so close. The JV company has targeted 100 million passengers per year by 2026. DIAL has already committed investments worth Rs 30,000 crore to the project and has told the ministry that the new airport at Jewar could result in diversion of the air traffic from IGI airport.
The company has told the government that not only would this render the working of present Operation Management and Development Agreement (OMDA) which is “totally financially unviable”, the potential loss of revenues due to diversion of traffic would also adversely affect Airports Authority of India (AAI). The airport authority holds a 26 per cent stake in the modernisation of the IGI airport.
30/10/07 Raghvendra Rao/Delhi Newsline

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Categories: Airports Oct 2007