Aerotropolis project sparks controversy in Andal

Andal: Going by the ongoing debate over the coal loss issue, 'Aerotropolis' has become a familiar name in the Asansol Durgapur industrial zone. People are seen discussing the country’s first Aerotropolis project proposed to come up on 3,500 acres of land at Andal. The union civil aviation ministry has also given a green signal for the project. Ironically most of the quarters do not have a clear idea about Aerotropolis as yet.
The Andal villagers who fear loosing either their cultivable land or residential quarters started posing resistance to the project demanding a better rehabilitation package. The political leaders, also queued up at the corridors of the higher administrative looking for their own loot after the controversies surrounding the proposed project at Andal intensified. Voting and veto are two sides of a coin in Andal these days following the proposed Rs 10,000 crore project.
As expected the Marxist leaders, started voting for the Aerotropolis although they do not have a clear idea about Aerotropolis project. They are in favour of the project only because the LF government has supported them. It appears that the leaders have no interest in knowing about the basics of the Aerotropolis project.
The district Trinamul Congress leadership, as expected did strongly oppose the much hyped project inspite of knowing nothing about it.
The Aerotropolis accommodates an airport, an industrial park and logistic hub, an IT Park, theme park besides a state of the art township.
According to professor John D Kasarda, director of the US-based Frank Kawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, airports would do what seaports, railways and highways did in the past, resulting in the phenomenal growth of business locations. Professor Kasarda had first developed the concept of Aerotropolis in the late 1990s.
29/10/08 Kanchan Siddiqui/The Statesman

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Categories: Airports Oct 2008, New Oct 2008