Cong-NCP battle delays Mihan project

Nagpur: Blame politics for the cloud of uncertainty hanging over the Multimodal International Hub Airport at Nagpur (Mihan) a decade after plans were conceived. The only project of its kind in the country is caught in a game of oneupmanship between the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.
The Congress is pushing the project but says state government partner NCP’s response to it is lukewarm as the latter has a poor presence in the region.
The memorandum of understanding between the Airports Authority of India and the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) says the airport was to be transferred to a joint venture of the two entities last year.
But the ministry has failed to give any time-frame on the transfer saying the Cabinet clearance is awaited. The matter is now in Bombay High Court and the next hearing is on January 14 when the aviation ministry will submit its progress report.
The local Congress unit, led by city MP and Union minister of state for renewable energy Vilas Muttemwar, blames its Democratic Front partner for the delay. They have accused the NCP of being focussed on the development of only western Maharashtra where the party is in a stronger position.
05/01/08 Ramu Bhagwat/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Jan 2008, New Jan 2007