State must provide land: AAI

CHENNAI: The onus of providing land for developing the greenfield airport at Sriperumbudur is on the State Government, said Airports Authority of India (AAI) chairman V P Agrawal here on Thursday.

On the potential of the new airport, Agrawal said the economies were all set to grow in the coming years. Hence, the new airport's prospects were bright.

"Look at New York. It has five airports in its immediate vicinity, all of which are in business. And the rule that an alternative airport cannot exist in the 150km radius of an existing airport will not apply here if we look at the economic growth of the region," he said.

On the deadline for developing the airport, he said, "We want to make it operational in four to five years' time. The modalities of funding this airport will be discussed with the State Government, after the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) report is received."

The ongoing ICAO study would give a clear picture of the logistics involved in the construction, Agrawal said. The AAI chief said Sriperumbudur was identified as a catchment area.

Stating that air traffic congestion should not be an issue at all, he noted, "Arakkonam and Tambaram airbases and the existing airport will not create operational problems for the new facility," he said.

Defending the airport location, Agrawal said the remoteness of the place was not a problem as support infrastructure in the form of road and rail facilities would come up.

"Passengers have to gradually adjust to the idea of the greenfield airport. Look at the Shamshabad airport," he cited. The airport will have two runways with the terminal building in the middle.

"The H runways, as in Delhi airport, are what we are looking at," he added.

On the longpending defence land issue obstructing the terminal expansion on the international side of the existing airport, the AAI chairman said the matter has been sorted out.