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Kamal Narang

High point: The Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Praful Patel, at the Economic Editors Conference in the Capital on Tuesday. —

Our Bureau

New Delhi, Nov. 13 The work on upgrading Chennai and Kolkata airports would begin not later than March next year, the Minister for Civil Aviation Mr Praful Patel, said on Tuesday.

Addressing the Economic Editors’ Conference, the Minister said the projects have been approved by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) which would be carrying them out.

The Minister also announced that from next year, international airlines would be permitted to land at the Calicut airport. “There has been a 100 per cent increase in international and domestic airlines operating to-and from-Kerala since 2004,” the Minister pointed out.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is considering a proposal to allow more than one airport in a particular region. Currently, the Government policy does not allow an international airport to come up within 150 km of an existing airport.

The Ministry is reconsidering this as the policy may hamper the growth of the industry, officials said.

Talking about the development of airport infrastructure, Mr Patel said that a policy on greenfield aspect would be in place by early next year.

The Minister felt that the aviation industry was a sunrise sector, which over the next decade would see an increase of more than 1,000 aircraft and would also attract investment of $150 billion. “The aviation industry alone would create around three million jobs,” the Minister said.

Stating that there was no ban on allowing more airlines to start, Mr Patel said that the Ministry was now scrutinising business plans and financial health of the promoters before giving approvals.

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Work on Chennai, Kolkata airports upgrade by March

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