AAI eyes 1,500 acres of land at Madurantakam for 2nd airport
CHENNAI: After a plan to set up the city’s second airport at Sriperumbudur fell through, the Airports Authority of India has decided to speed up a preliminary survey of two other locations to evaluate their suitability.
Officials said that AAI chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra recently told officials to expedite study for finalising a location. A 1,500 acres land pocket at Madurantakam in Kancheepuram district is being considered for setting up the airport along with another chunk of land at Gummidipoondi.
The ministry of civil aviation had set up a committee to study the land at Madurantakam to find out its suitability. The piece of land in Kancheepuram district is considered ideal as it is a vast expanse without buildings or houses and is also close to a highway connecting Chennai.
‘Govt did not earmark land within deadline’
Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and AAI officials will evaluate various parameters including the location, wind pattern, probable orientation of the runway, obstacles in the form of hills or constructions nearby, approach route and the incline flights may have to take to reach the runway.
AAI will require around 2,000acres for a second airport which could be set up either by the public sector airport operator or a private investor under a public-private partnership.
A senior official said that as the state government did not earmark a land within the deadline of December 31 last year, the authorities are studying the two options available. The ministry of civil aviation is keen to push through the preliminary work as the AAI has to carry out a study all over again after identifying Sriperumbudur eight years ago.
“Sriperumbudur was identified and cleared for setting up an airport after feasibility studies were conducted by the airports authority and private consultants 10 years ago. If it was cleared at the right time, Chennai would have had a second airport much before Mumbai and Bengaluru could be privatised. But the chance was lost,” he added.
AAI wants the preliminary work to begin rightaway because it will take at least three to four years to plan and build an airport.
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This is an example of how the Dravidian governments are taking the development of tamilnadu for granted.
– Vel Shanmugavel Arumugam
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes
