Patel: why just one airport in 150km radius?

Hyderabad: India’s civil aviation ministry plans to review the current policy of not allowing more airports within 150km radius of an existing airport, in a move that could bring considerable relief to passengers but runs the risk of getting entangled in litigation with existing airport developers.
“The current policy of no additional airport operations within 150km radius is fundamentally flawed,” said Praful Patel, Union civil aviation minister, at an international conference on Indian aviation. “We need to change our mindset, and we will be able to find a solution to that.”
Patel said that London city has at least seven airports while the greater New York area has nearly 20 air fields.
“Including (in) Bangalore and Hyderabad, there can be more than one airport. We want to see creation of more and more airports.”
Patel’s statements contradict the government’s own contracts. In agreements with the developers, it has committed that it will not allow another airport to operate within a radius of 150km of the new airports in Hyderabad and Bangalore. The government closed existing smaller airports in both cities once the new airports opened earlier this year.
Kiran Kumar Grandhi, chairman (airports) of the GMR Group, the developer of the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Hyderabad and the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, declined comment. A spokesperson for Bangalore International Airport Ltd said the move has not been officially notified by the ministry and, hence, she cannot comment on this matter.
“This is just a thought process. Only the ministry of civil aviation can give you more clarity,” said Airports Authority of India chairman K. Ramalingam.
17/10/08 P.R. Sanjai/K. Raghu/Livemint

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Categories: Airports Oct 2008, New Oct 2008