New policy by civil aviation to bar second airport within 150 km
The civil aviation ministry is conducting a review of the policy that bars a second airport within a distance of 150 km, the scrapping of which could have a dramatic effect on Delhi airport as construction of another facility in its neighbourhood, say in Greater Noida, could divert significant amount of traffic.
This 150 km clause is regressive and would crop up as a hurdle for the growth of nofrills airports in the country and harm our plans to improve regional connectivity. Internal discussions on the same have begun with an aim to do away with it, said a senior ministry official who did not want to be identified. According to the current norms, no other airport can come within that distance of the GMR-run Delhi airport unless the growth in passengers justifies this. Airports in Hyderabad and Bangalore also cannot have another airport within a 150 km radius.
The abolition of the clause was part of the civil aviation ministry’s first presentation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on issues that need to be fixed to boost sectoral growth. The ministry of civil aviation also wants broad-based consultation on the concession agreement concerning public private partnerships for construction and operation of airports.
Source: The Economic Times
