NEW DELHI: Global construction majors have lined up for the Rs 3,700-crore airport modernisation plans in Kolkata and Chennai. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has received 11 applications for the Rs 1,900-cr Kolkata project and 14 for the Rs 1,800-crore Chennai expansion programme.
Apart from Indian majors like L&T (which is building both the Delhi and Mumbai airports), the global names include Greece's AEGEK General Construction; Malaysia's Muhibbah Engineering and Britain's largest privately-owned construction firm Laing O'Rourke. The AAI is also going to appoint a project management consultant who would oversee the implementation of these two projects on a turnkey basis. Firms like US-based Louis Berger have applied for becoming the consultants.
AAI has taken up Chennai and Kolkata airports as a sort of challenge, mainly to prove a point that it can also build good airports, especially when private majors like GMR and GVK already implementing projects in Delhi and Mumbai airports.
"Several leading construction firms from Korea, Thailand, US, Europe and some Indian top names have applied for building the two airports. Both Chennai and Kolkata have to get integrated domestic-cum-international terminals. Chennai would see major work on the runway too," said a senior official.
The AAI has projected a total investment of Rs 12,430 crore in the 11th plan and a bulk of this would happen over the next three years when airports in Kolkata, Chennai, 35 non-metros, Agatti, Leh and J&K would be upgraded. In addition, the authority will also undertake major modernisation work on air traffic management and communication and navigation services.
"The next fiscal will see an investment of Rs 3,000 crore. We will raise about Rs 1,000 crore from the market using instruments like bonds and ECBs. Given our AAA rating, getting funds is not an issue. We are already being approached by banks," said the official.
The AAI will build terminals and operational areas in the non-metros and do complete modernisation at Kolkata and Chennai. The city-side development at non-metros will be done the PPP way. Already infrastructure majors like GMR, GVK, L&T and Omaxe have expressed interests in the city side projects that would include developing parking areas, hotels and commercial areas inside the terminals.
India is projected to witness an investment of Rs 41,000 crore in airport sector through private, AAI and JV ventures that could take the number of operational airports from over 100 to nearly 500.
Link:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Business/India_Business/Cos_line_up_for_Kolkata_Chennai_airports/articleshow/2656652.cms
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment