Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Airports Authority of India to invest in the upgrade of Chennai and Kolkata airports

CAPA): Civil Aviation Ministry announced the Airports Authority of India (AAI) plans to invest USD496 million in the upgrade of Chennai and Kolkata airports.

The total cost of modernising airports in both Chennai and Kolkata is estimated at over USD868 million. According to the Hindu Business Times, Ashok Chawla, Secretary stated, “AAI plans to raise about USD496 million mainly in 2008-09 and 2009-10 as a major portion of the work would be undertaken at that time.

AAI will decide on what is the cheapest manner of raising the money, whether domestically or through external commercial borrowing route”.The Ministry is additionally considering a request from the State governments to share costs for acquiring the required land for the airport expansions.

Currently State governments accept the total cost of acquiring land, which is then provided to AAI for airport expansion.

Link:http://indiaaviation.aero/news/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4095&Itemid=59

Sunday, July 22, 2007

ECB for upgrading Chennai, Kolkata airports

NEW DELHI: To fund the modernisation of Kolkata and Chennai airports, the airport authority of India (AAI) would borrow Rs 2,000 crore.

Debt would be mopped up from the domestic market or channeled through external commercial borrowing (ECB).

Modernisation of the two airports is estimated to cost Rs 5,700 crore. “We are open to both the routes for generating money. Wherever we would find better rate of interest we would go for that,” civil aviation secretary Ashok Chawla said on the sidelines of a conference of chief secretaries on public-private partnership (PPP).

Earlier the government had planned to develop both the airports on public-private partnership on the lines of Delhi and Mumbai. However, the government has decided that upgradation of both airports would be done by AAI.

Link:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Economy/ECB_for_upgrading_Chennai_Kolkata_airports/articleshow/2224278.cms

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

AAI to modernise Chennai airport

Clearing the proposal to let Airports Authority of India (AAI) modernise and upgrade the existing Chennai airport, the Prime Minister's Committee on Infrastructure (CoI) also accorded an "in principle" approval to the setting up of a greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur.

With AAI likely to construct the new greenfield airport, the Tamil Nadu government's wish to get both the projects executed through AAI has been fulfilled.


"The first phase of development at the existing Chennai airport would be over by 2010 and will cost around Rs 2,350 crore. The additional land required for modernisation would be provided by the Tamil Nadu government," said civil aviation minister Praful Patel.


For the greenfield airport, Patel said 4,821 acres of land had already been identified by the state government and the AAI would now conduct a techno-feasibility study for it.


While the construction of runway, taxiway and apron would cost around Rs 1,100 crore, the cost of constructing the terminal building, cargo building, car park and face uplift would be around Rs 1,250 crore.

In 2006-07, the existing airport handled 97,680 aircraft movement and its capacity to handle aircraft movement is likely to saturate by 2014-15. The airport's international terminal handled 2.8 million passengers against a capacity of 3 million per year in 2006-07. Similarly, it handled 5.9 million passengers against an annual capacity of 6 million passengers in 2006-07. Both these terminals are likely to be saturated by 2007-08.


Spread over an area of 1,152 acres, the existing Chennai airport has two runways (3,658 metres and 2,032 metres) and handles 25 aircraft movements per hour. While the existing domestic terminal handles 4.73 million passengers per annum, constructing an additional domestic terminal would add a capacity of five million passengers per annum.

Works amounting to Rs 221.89 crore, relating to terminal buildings, parking bays, cargo building and operations block, are currently underway at the existing airport. Once developed, these facilities would cater to a traffic demand up to the year 2010. AAI plans to construct a new domestic terminal, expand the international one, construct Phase III of the integrated cargo building and new parking bays at a cost of Rs 705 crore.

http://www.expresstravelworld.com/200707/aviationworld21.shtml

Message in Malaimalar......


Monday, July 16, 2007

Construction activities frozen in airport expansion areas

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Government has frozen all building activities in the areas where it proposes to acquire land for expansion of the existing Chennai airport and for the construction of a new greenfield airport.

The State Transport Department has issued last week an order directing the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) to freeze all construction activities in Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharapakkam, all in the outskirts of the city, where 1069.99 acres is proposed to be acquired for the airport expansion project and also the approach areas after getting details from the Airport Authorities of India.

The freeze comes at a time, when the residents of some colonies in Manapakkam, whose houses now face demolition consequent on acquisition proceedings, have are protesting and have even petitioned the government for cancellation of the land acquisition notification.


The government has also directed freezing of construction in the areas falling within Sriperumbudur and Thiruvallur taluks of Kancheepuram district, which are to be acquired for the constrution of the greenfiled airport.

Simultaneously, the government has cancelled the GO issued for acquisition of lands in areas like Pozhichalur and Anakaputhur on the northern side of the existing Chennai airport, where the expansion work had originally been planned to be taken up.

Conseqwuent on this, the freeze on construction activities in these aras have also been revoked.The State Government had originally proposed to hand over more than 800 acres of land in the Pozhichalur-Anakaputhur belt, which had sparked off protracted and vociferous protests from the residents in these areas.

The pitch of the protests had risen higher when political parties like the CPM and PMK also threw their weight behind the residents.In fact there had been a running battle between the PMK and the DMK, with the former even accusing some nfluential persons in the DMK of having vested interest in the proposal.

However, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had defused the situation by convening an all-party meeting on May 22, which opted for expansion of the airport on the souther-western side of the airport and also a greenfield airport near Sriperumbudur.Subsequently, the government had issued notification for the lands to be acquired in these areas.


Link:http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920070716142034&Page=9&Title=Chennai&Topic=0

Sunday, July 15, 2007

“We need to expand aviation infrastructure”

What is the progress on Chennai airport’s modernisation after it was recently cleared by the Union Cabinet?

Yes, we have the Cabinet clearance for Chennai. [The] Airports Authority of India is drawing up plans quickly. We want to make it comparable to Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore or Hyderabad and we are getting a top international company to give us a master plan and design. It will be a global competition. We will get the best technical expertise. Chennai and Kolkata both will have really world class airports. We will give it as a turnkey project for construction. We will bring in a lot of new things, it will not be a typically AAI airport. We will ask AAI to compete with the private sector and show that they are coming up with an airport as good as may be Bangalore and Hyderabad. And Chennai has to compete with both Bangalore and Hyderabad because both these cities are getting new world class airports. This will have to be a first class facility.

Link:http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/16/stories/2007071655531300.htm

Tamil Nadu G.O Dated 09-july-2007

http://www.tn.gov.in/gorders/transport/trans_e_70_2007.htm



Land Acquisition – Kancheepuram District – Acquisition of 583 Hectares of land for the Restructuring and Modernisation of Chennai Airport under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purpose Act, 1997 as amended by the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes (Amendment) Act of 17 of 2005 – Administrative sanction accorded – Cancelled – Orders issued – Freezing of all building activities for the newly proposed acquisition for expansion of Chennai Airport and formation of Greenfield Airport – Instructions issued .
Transport (I.2) Department
G.O. MS. No.70Date: 09th July 2007
Read:
1. G.O. Ms. No.91, Transport (I2) Department, dated 14/12/2005.
Read Also:
2. Government Letter No.14808/I.2/2004-28, Transport Department, dated 14/12/2005, addressed to Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai-600008.
****
ORDER
An all Legislative Party Leader’s meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Chief Minister on 22/05/2007, to discuss about the selection of lands for the Modernisation and Expansion of Chennai Airport. As a follow-up action to the above meeting, the orders issued in Government Order first read above according Administrative Sanction for acquisition of 583 Hectares of lands for the Restructuring and Modernisation of Chennai Airport under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purpose Act, 1997 as amended by the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes (Amendment) Act of 17 of 2005, is cancelled. The instructions issued to the Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai, to freeze all building activities in the above area, in the letter second read above is also withdrawn.
2. Further, as decided in the All Legislative Party Leaders’ Meeting held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Chief Minister on 22/05/2007, acquisition of 1069.99 Acres of lands is proposed in the villages of Manapakkam, Kolapakkam, Gerugambakkam and Tharapakkam in Sriperumpudur Taluk, Kancheepuram District, for expansion of Chennai Airport and also acquisition of 4820.66 Acres of lands is proposed for the formation of Greenfield Airport in Sriperumpudur and Thiruvallur Taluks, near Chennai.
3. The Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai, is directed to take necessary immediate action to freeze all building activities in the approach area and issue suitable notification in this regard, after getting necessary proposals with full details from the Airports Authority of India.
(By Order of Governor)
DEBENDRANATH SARANGISecretary to Government
To
The Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Land Administration, Chennai-5.
The District Collectors, Kancheepuram / Thiruvallur District.
The Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai-8.
The Executive Director (LM), Airports Authority of India, New Delhi.
The Regional Executive Director, Airports Authority of India, Chennai-27.
The Director, Airports Authority of India, New Delhi / Chennai-27.

Copy to:
The Secretary to Hon’ble Chief Minister, Chennai-9.
The Secretary, Revenue Department, Chennai-9.
The Secretary, Industries Department, Chennai-9.
The Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Chennai-9.
The Secretary, Finance Department, Chennai-9.
The Senior P.A. to Minister (Transport), Chennai-9.
The Senior P.A. to Minister (Housing), Chennai-9.
The Sr. P.S. to Chief Secretary, Chennai-9.
The Sr. P.S. to Secretary to Government, Transport Department, Chennai-9.
SF/SC

Friday, July 13, 2007

Villa owners against land acquisition for greenfield airport

KANCHEEPURAM: As many as 300 private villa owners from Manapakkam village gave a memorandum to the District Collector Pradeep Yadav, registering their opposition against land acquisition for the proposed greenfield airport at Sriperumpudur.

A township of independent villa houses was promoted by a private real estate firm - Macro Marvel - between the 2000 and 2003.In 2006, about 120 more villas were developed as part of the second phase.

Most of the owners of the independent houses are retired defence officials, retired professors, doctors and other professionals.They complain that the project was marketed showcasing the sylvan surroundings of the village as ideal for retired persons.

Further, the CMDA had assured those who bought in the second phase that the area did not come under the proposed Green Field Airport.

Link:http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IET20070711233322&Page=T&Title=Southern+News+%2D+Tamil+Nadu&Topic=0

Meenambakkam not waiting for land acquisition

E VEN as the district administration is yet to finalise details of land acquisition for expansion of Chennai airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is going ahead with modernisation and augmentation of passenger and aircraft facilities at the airport at a faster pace.

Already the airport has completed construction of 20 parking bays for aircraft. An exclusive parking bay has also been created to receive Airbus 380 and runways and taxi tracks are being strengthened.

According to Dinesh Kumar, airport director, the parking bays were completed and improved facilities were being added from time to time.

A mega plan has been drawn up for modernisation of international terminal. This will provide an additional 12,000 square feet of space for international passenger handling, Dinesh Kumar said.
The new arrivals terminal has been readied by renovating a portion of the existing one at Anna International Terminal. Anna terminal handles 17 international operators and one more has started operating with Tiger Airlines starting flights to Singapore.

The same pattern of development will be followed at the domestic side also. Around 800 square feet area has been added when the opening of departure II to service four airlines.
According to AAI statistics the airport handled 89,74,126 passengers between April 2006 and March 2007, a whopping 32 percent increase when compared to the figures for the corresponding period last year.

There were 99,775 aircraft movement from April 2006 to March 2007, which is a 44.7 percent increase when compared to the previous years. The average aircraft movement per year is 75,000, second only to Bangalore which registers 84,000 aircraft movement per year.
E VEN as the district administra- tion is yet to finalise details of land acquisition for expansion of Chennai airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is going ahead with modernisation and augmenta- tion of passenger and aircraft facilities at the airport at a faster pace.


Already the airport has completed construction of 20 parking bays for air- craft. An exclusive parking bay has also been created to receive Airbus 380 and runways and taxi tracks are being strengthened. According to Dinesh Kumar, airport director, the parking bays were com- pleted and improved facilities were being added from time to time. A mega plan has been drawn up for modernisation of international termi- nal. This will provide an additional 12,000 square feet of space for interna- tional passenger handling, Dinesh Kumar said.


The new arrivals terminal has been readied by renovating a portion of the existing one at Anna International Terminal. Anna terminal handles 17 international operators and one more has started operating with Tiger Airlines starting flights to Singapore. The same pattern of development will be followed at the domestic side also. Around 800 square feet area has been added when the opening of depar- ture II to service four airlines. According to AAI statistics the airport handled 89,74,126 passengers between April 2006 and March 2007, a whopping 32 percent increase when compared to the figures for the corresponding period last year. There were 99,775 aircraft movement from April 2006 to March 2007, which is a 44.7 percent increase when compared to the previous years.


The average air- craft movement per year is 75,000, sec- ond only to Bangalore which registers 84,000 aircraft movement per year.


http://epaper.newindpress.com/Default.aspx?selpg=675&selDt=07/11/2007&BMode=100

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Message in Dinakaran










Residents air grievances over airport expansion project

Manapakkam people want their houses to be saved
MLA says efforts are on to mitigate their agony



KANCHEEPURAM: A group of people, accompanied by Sriperumpudur MLA D.Yasodha, made a representation to Collector Pradeep Yadav on Wednesday, asking him to take measures to ensure that their dwelling units at Manapakkam were not disturbed while implementing the Chennai airport expansion project.

They pointed out that several of them, who have retired from defence, civil, professional and other government services, had invested their hard-earned money in the housing project which was promoted by a Kilpauk-based real estate company during 2003-04.

The residents urged the Collector to suggest some modifications in the expansion project proposed by the Airports Authority of India.

They wanted their dwelling units, constructed at a cost of Rs.15 lakh to Rs.30 lakh, to be saved from demolition.

“Runway may be unused”

They said that the NAAI had rejected thrice the suggestion to acquire lands from Manapakkam, Tharapakkam, Kolapakkam and Gerugembakkam for the project on the ground that the soil condition was not suitable.

But they wondered how the Airports Authority of India had given its consent now.
The runway to be laid in the area to be acquired after demolishing a part of their township was not going to be used for landing of flights.


The residents said enquiries, made by them with officials concerned, had revealed that the proposed extension of runway would remain unused, once greenfield airport came up near Sriperumpudur.

Technical alterations

Since the expansion project was going to be a temporary add-on facility for the infrastructure at the Chennai airport, they pleaded that suitable technical alterations in the runway sketch be considered.

Another 100-odd families have booked their individual villas, each costing around Rs.50 lakh to Rs.65 lakh, with the same promoter, who had obtained clearance for the second phase of the housing project in the same area from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority in March 2006, the people said.

The CMDA, in its letter, had said the proposed site for the second phase of housing project was “not affected as per the latest list”.

But the entire second-phase area had now been notified for land acquisition for the airport expansion project, they lamented.

Lands identified

Talking to reporters later, Ms. Yasodha said efforts had been made to mitigate the mental agony of the residents of Manapakkam township and that the Government had now identified suitable lands at Manapakkam itself instead of relocating the people to Manimangalam.

Assurance

Meanwhile, enquiries reveal that the District Collector had assured that necessary steps would be initiated to redress the residents’ grievances.

Link:http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/12/stories/2007071260070500.htm

Two sites in focus for greenfield airport

http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/12/stories/2007071257640100.htm

Two sites in focus for greenfield airport

CHENNAI: Two sites near Chennai are under the active consideration of the State Government for the greenfield airport, according to an official source.

Alamadi village, north of Chennai, and Sunguvarchattram near Sriperumbudur are the two sites for the new airport. Alamadi village is about 8 km from Red Hills and 30 km northwest of Chennai. One of the reasons for considering this location for the project is the site’s proximity to the proposed Outer Ring Road. In the case of Sunguvarchattram, it is close to the Chennai–Bangalore highway.

The other important criterion for considering these two sites for evaluation is the presence of large tracts of government land.

According to the source, the Government is keen to avoid acquisition problems. Other places in and around Sriperumbudur are fraught with acquisition issues since most of them are patta lands.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Message in Hindu

He said the government was firm in its stand that the expansion and modernisation of Chennai Airport should not be given to the private sector.

Click here for full news:

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/401200706160921.htm

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Mesage in Hindustan Times

The Ministry of Civil Aviation shouldn’t have have any problems in giving the nod to the techno-economic feasibility study report prepared by the Uttar Pradesh government for setting up Delhi’s second international greenfield airport at Greater Noida.

The proposed airport project spread across 1,500 hectares would cost over Rs. 3,500 crore and will hopefully put two other second-airport projects — the Rs 9,000-crore Navi Mumbai airport project, and Chennai’s greenfield airport in Sriperumbudur — on a fast track.

This couldn’t have come sooner as recent studies show that Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Nagpur, Ahmedabad and Amritsar will each need another airport in the next ten years. Most metros will reach saturation point by 2010, while others will become saturated by 2015.


Thus when the two greenfield airports in Bangalore and Hyderabad become operational next year, they will apparently be just in time to ease the load on the existing airports. It appears that Kolkata airport, too, needs a second airport by 2010, never mind the cosmetic changes being made by the Airports Authority of India to modernise it.


It is ironic that the spurt in domestic aviation reveals such a complete lack of planning by civil aviation authorities to offer an appropriate response. This is most evident in the limited infrastructure at airports — the biggest hurdle before the growth of the industry — that compel aircraft to take, on average, seven times longer to take off than elsewhere in the world. Many airports have limited landing and parking slots during peak hours, and overcrowded terminals where passengers struggle to wade through check-in and security screening. Limited manpower and under-utilisation of available equipment make matters worse.


Therefore, till the new airports become operational, authorities should focus on sprucing up the existing ones. Even simple methods like using chemicals to remove rubber deposits (from wheels during touchdown) on runways, and strengthening pavements of the taxiways and the apron to avoid frequent maintenance, could go a long way in augmenting the existing infrastructure.

Link:http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=2c40dc20-f039-4563-a3a2-66d3b97d8d58&&Headline=Not+off+the+ground

Message in NDTV

Paintings by Chennai airport director Dinesh Kumar are attracting art lovers. Many say art creations of this high flying officer inspire them to aim high.

With the Cabinet having cleared the proposal to expand the Chennai airport and construct another greenfield airport you would probably imagine that Kumar would be grounded with work.

On the other hand the official has been able to balance his passion with profession.''If you have the interest in art, you will get time for that. That's what I have done. When others would pass time in a different way I have tried to use it for art,'' said Dinesh Kumar.There were mainly government and airline officials who turned up at the exhibition.''It inspires to think that there is no limit and you can go on and on,'' said a woman visitor.

While the Chennai airport expansion plan is likely to see more protests, the airport director may have to be prepared for more showdowns rather than his one-man show.

Link:http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070016954&ch=6/28/2007%2012:53:00%20PM