The government is committed to the building of airport capacity as part of NABH (NextGen Airports for BHarat) Nirman initiative, Suresh Prabhu, Minister for Civil Aviation, Govt. of India, said. He said that the three key aspects of NABH Nirman are fair and equitable land acquisition, long-term master plan for airport and regional development and balanced economics for all stakeholders. He said that improving passenger amenities, promoting cargo handling facilities and early operationalisation of 56 new airports under UDAN scheme will be his focus areas while simultaneously working on improving regional connectivity and improving passenger services in a big way.
Accepting the recommendations made by the steering committee on Greenfield Airports, Prabhu accorded site clearance approval to the Greenfield International Airport at Purander, Pune. The Minister also accorded ‘in-principle’ approval to the Government of Uttar Pradesh for setting up of Noida International Greenfield Airport at the North of Jewar Village, Utta Pradesh.
One of the conditions of site clearance approval to Pune Greenfield Airport is that the Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd – MADC, the agency executing the project, will try not to close the existing Pune airport. It will accordingly take up the matter with Ministry of Defence and will try to make both the airports available for civil use. With the grant of site clearance approval, the MADC, may proceed with preparation of Techno Economic Feasibility Report and Detailed Project Report.
