The MIHAN India Ltd (MIL) will soon handover Nagpur’s Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport to Hyderabad-based GMR Airports Ltd. However, rehabilitation of Shivangaon villagers has not been completed yet. The road to Shivangaon will have to be closed for vehicular traffic for at least one year to complete all the pending work.
The revenue of Air India MRO too is affected. Sources said, GMR is interested in taking up the work of construction of new terminal building first. Though there is no information about the exact site of this new terminal building, but sources said it would be constructed between the airport and MRO. Hence, it is necessary to close the road for a year.
Shivangaon has emerged as the main hurdle in Nagpur airport’s development. There are many schools which are still operational in the village. People are doing farming here. GMR would be needing sufficient space for the development of airport and MIL would have to finish the rehabilitation process before handing over the airport to MIL. Sources said, 70 per cent relocation work has been completed while efforts are on to rehabilitate remaining 30 per cent villagers.
Last year, the MIL has invited global tenders for finding out a strategic partner. The GMR Airports had offered to share 5.76 per cent revenue for the airport and its bid was the highest. This was a paltry amount as GMR Airports was to get the airport for operation for next 30 years. After the deal was opposed, GMR Airports increased the bid and offered to share 14.49 per cent revenue accruing from the airport.
The Nagpur airport is situated on 565 hectares (1413 acres) of land belonging to Airports Authority of India (AAI). Of the 565 hectares, the AAI already has handed over a 20 metre wide strip of land to Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (Maha Metro) for construction Airport and Airport South stations of Nagpur Metro. Apart from this, AAI also has handed over some piece of land to National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for road widening and AAI had not sought approval of central cabinet for both these land transfers.
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