THE STATE will have its first international airport in Indore by April 2008, provided the district administration transfers the land acquired for airport expansion project to Airports Authority of India (AAI) by year-end.
“Once the land is transferred it will take about three months to begin the expansion work and about an year more to complete it.
We expect the work to start from March 2007,” Indore airport director R K Singh told Hindustan Times. The district administration has completed the process for acquisition of 54 hectares of land for airport expansion and has sent it to Divisional Commissioner Ashok Das for final approval. Once he grants approval, it will be handed over to the Public Works Department, which will allot it to AAI after signing a memorandum of understanding with it.
The AAI on its part has already approved the scope of work and made budgetary allocation for construction of six parking bases besides expansion of the runway to international standards. Once the land is transferred, the AAI will float tenders and whole process will take about three months. The runway expansion is expected to cost about Rs 40 crore.
“Given the significance of this project, we will have to deal with it on a priority basis,” says Singh. Sources in PWD also said that land would be transferred within a month’s time. A final meeting between the AAI and district administration to discuss the land transfer is expected to take place soon.
“Given the significance of this project, we will have to deal with it on a priority basis,” says Singh. Sources in PWD also said that land would be transferred within a month’s time. A final meeting between the AAI and district administration to discuss the land transfer is expected to take place soon.