High-level meets will look into Chennai airport modernisation
Ashwini Phadnis

PM infrastructure panel schedules meeting on April 18





New Delhi April 15 A clear picture on the modernisation of Chennai airport is expected soon, with two high level meetings scheduled to be held here next week to discuss the matter.

Official sources told Business Line that the Prime Minister infrastructure committee meeting that is scheduled to meet here on April 18 would initially consider the proposal.

"The emphasis and focus at the Prime Minister's committee meeting will be on Chennai and Kolkata airport although the meeting has been called to discuss issues connected with the aviation sector as a whole," a senior Government official said.

The matter will also be discussed at a meeting scheduled for April 20 between the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, and the Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Praful Patel. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and senior officials of Airports Authority of India are also expected to be present at this meeting.

While the West Bengal Government already indicated that it wants the AAI to carry out modernisation of Kolkata airport, a decision is yet to be taken on how Chennai airport should be modernised.

The Tamil Nadu Government has already written to the Centre making available 835 acres of land on both sides of the Adayar River. The State Government is keen to follow the joint venture route for modernising Chennai airport.

The proposed modernisation has also caught the imagination of the private sector with the Tata Group having entered into a strategic alliance with Changi Airports International (CAI) to take up airport projects here, including the proposed modernisation of Chennai and Kolkata airports.

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