MADC (Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd) has been initiated to play a lead role in the speedy planning and implementation of the Multi-modal International Hub Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN). It is jointly formed with equity participation from City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd. (CIDCO), Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd. (MSRDC).
MADC General Manager Ramesh Yaul speaks to us on MIHAN and its development.
Give the overview of the airport in detail.
The state government through MADC decided to develop MIHAN taking advantage of the existing airport at Nagpur. Presently, the airport is having single runway of 3,200 m in length and 45m in width and a small terminal building with some parking area for the aircrafts. The master plan prepared by consultants M/s. L&T Ramboll and MADC proposes to expand the existing runway from 3,200 m X 45 m to 3,600 m X 60 m, improve and modernize the existing facilities of the existing airport and increase its capacity and efficiency by adding new technologies, equipments and facilities, construct second run-way parallel in about a length of 4,000 m and width of 60m, a new terminal building of 3 million sq.ft. built-up area, provide adequate parking for about 50 air crafts near the terminal building and about 50 air crafts in remote place and develop the cargo terminal to ultimately take care of estimated cargo of about 8.70 lakh tonne per annum. The whole master plan development for this airport is with a traffic estimation of 14 million passengers per annum. There is also a SEZ planned to be developed adjacent to the airport on about 2,086 hectares of land and also a provision for developing housing and other allied services on an area of about 400 hectares.
The speedy completion of the airport is always talked about, but when will it be completed?
The total MIHAN project is divided into different components viz. airport, SEZ and housing and allied service. Out of this, development of airport is a long-term project to be implemented through private participation, according to the traffic estimation made by the consultants. At the end of year 2035, traffic will reach to 14 million per annum. Taking into consideration the trend of traffic growth at Nagpur, development of airport is to be phased out over a period of time.
As far as SEZ is concerned MADC is developing, infrastructure like roads, water supply, sewage, disposal systems, electrical transmission and distribution network, telecommunication network and captive power plant etc are planned to be completed by the end of 2009. The housing and the other allied activities will be developed simultaneously. As far as talking about the speedy completion, it is to be noted that the work of SEZ being developed by MADC can be called as part of speedy completion and it will be completed by the end of 2009. Whereas, airport development is through private participation and it is a long-term project to be implemented in a phased manner depending upon the trend of traffic growth.
What will be the solution for the project-affected farmers as they are not satisfied with the government?
The total MIHAN project is to be developed on more than 4,000 hectares of land, out of which the private land measuring about 3,000 hectares need to be acquired. Process of acquisition is going on fast track. We have completed the acquisition of more than 2,276 hectares of land as of now. As far as dissatisfaction of the farmers with the amount paid is concerned, the government of Maharashtra is taking lead in discussing the various issues with the farmers and trying to compensate them within their interest.
Anymore companies added in the list of J/V besides AAI and MADC?
Memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed on 18th December 2006 between the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airport Authority of India (AAI) on one side, and the state government and MADC on the other hand, regarding transfer of Nagpur airport. According to this MOU, the joint venture company (JVC) between MADC and AAI with equity participation of 51% and 49%, respectively, is to be constituted and Nagpur airport is to be handed over to the JVC on lease of 30 years at a lease rent of Rs 1 per annum. Unless, JVC between MADC and AAI is formed and the airport is handed over to the JVC, the additional members cannot be included in the JV. The additional members have to be added as strategic partner with major share holding in the JVC who will take over the control of JVC and develop the airport project on the lines of Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore airport. Thus, the third partner will have to be added by following competitive and transparent bidding system.
You are planning to bring MIHAN on the lines on Delhi & Mumbai, what are the steps taken for that?
According to the MOU, JVC of MADC and AAI will have to implement this project by appointing the private developer (Strategic third partner in the JVC) by following competitive transparent bidding procedure. This can be done only after the Ministry of Civil Aviation and AAI transfer the Nagpur Airport to this JVC which also needs to be constituted urgently.
