Taj International Airport at G. Noida
DIAL promoters question viability to have an International airport at Greater Noida
In a twist to UP Chief Minister Mayawati's long-pending demand for having an international airport at Greater Noida, the promoters of Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) have raised questions on the timing of the second airport so close to Delhi when passenger volumes may not be enough to cater to two airports.
The promoters of DIAL, in a letter to the civil aviation ministry, have said they were not against having a second airport, however, this should come after sufficient passenger volumes were achieved. The DIAL spokesperson refused to comment on the issue.
According to sources, DIAL had made it clear that an airport so close to the Delhi airport would be a violation of an agreement, the Airports Authority of India signed with it to revamp the domestic terminals, build a new terminal and a new runway at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The agreement barred two greenfield airports from coming up within 150 km radius from each other. The DIAL could also seek first right to bid for the new airport at Greater Noida. It could also argue that the revenue the government was to get from the DIAL for the Indira Gandhi Airport should be reduced.
The upcoming new airport terminal at the IGI and domestic terminals at Delhi will cater to 60 million passengers annually by 2010. The volume of traffic is at present about 24 million. The DIAL has also suggested that a study needs to be done in cities where two airports exist, to find out when was the second airport started and what was the passenger volume that triggered off the need to have another airport.
The UP government has said that the "Delhi airport is already congested with virtually no possibility of any extension". It has also quoted a study by the Airports Authority of India that has estimated that by 2015-16, air traffic at the IGI Airport will hit the 108-million mark, which by any standard, would lead to severe air congestion. To offset this, a second airport was the answer.
Mayawati has named her project as the Taj International Airport and aims to handle around 3.9 million passengers annually by 2011-12.
The airport aims to derive a significant share of revenue through shopping malls, hotels, a cargo hub, an aviation academy and residential complexes as part of the airport project.
In a twist to UP Chief Minister Mayawati's long-pending demand for having an international airport at Greater Noida, the promoters of Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) have raised questions on the timing of the second airport so close to Delhi when passenger volumes may not be enough to cater to two airports.
The promoters of DIAL, in a letter to the civil aviation ministry, have said they were not against having a second airport, however, this should come after sufficient passenger volumes were achieved. The DIAL spokesperson refused to comment on the issue.
According to sources, DIAL had made it clear that an airport so close to the Delhi airport would be a violation of an agreement, the Airports Authority of India signed with it to revamp the domestic terminals, build a new terminal and a new runway at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The agreement barred two greenfield airports from coming up within 150 km radius from each other. The DIAL could also seek first right to bid for the new airport at Greater Noida. It could also argue that the revenue the government was to get from the DIAL for the Indira Gandhi Airport should be reduced.
The upcoming new airport terminal at the IGI and domestic terminals at Delhi will cater to 60 million passengers annually by 2010. The volume of traffic is at present about 24 million. The DIAL has also suggested that a study needs to be done in cities where two airports exist, to find out when was the second airport started and what was the passenger volume that triggered off the need to have another airport.
The UP government has said that the "Delhi airport is already congested with virtually no possibility of any extension". It has also quoted a study by the Airports Authority of India that has estimated that by 2015-16, air traffic at the IGI Airport will hit the 108-million mark, which by any standard, would lead to severe air congestion. To offset this, a second airport was the answer.
Mayawati has named her project as the Taj International Airport and aims to handle around 3.9 million passengers annually by 2011-12.
The airport aims to derive a significant share of revenue through shopping malls, hotels, a cargo hub, an aviation academy and residential complexes as part of the airport project.