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Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Ltd on Tuesday said the country's first aerotropolis or airport city project at Andal in West Bengal will be operational in the last quarter of this year. The company, which is already in talks with local airlines, will convene an airlines meet next month to firm up commercial arrangements.
Spread over nearly 1,820 acres, the airport city will be located close to Durgapur, nearly 160 km from Kolkata. While the airport will cover nearly one-third of the area or 650 acres, housing projects, hospitals, IT hubs and industrial zones will come up on the remaining 1,200 acres.
“The airlines meet is expected to take place either on February 7 or February 8. We are also in discussion with different airlines to start operating in the region,” said Mr Subrata Paul, Chief Executive Officer and Director of the company. He did not divulge investment figures for setting up the proposed airport.
The airport will have one runway and four bays for aircraft.
The Kolkata-headquartered company is promoted by Changi Airports India Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Singapore's Changi Airports International Pte Ltd, Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd, Pragati Social Infrastructure & Development Ltd, Pragati 47 Development Ltd, Lend Lease Company (India) Ltd and Citystar Infrastructures Ltd. Changi Airport has a 26 per cent stake in the project.
The project with land requirements of nearly 2,000 acres had ran into trouble because of local resistance and over acquisition of farmland.
Bengal first
When asked about its Ludhiana project, a senior official of the company said issues relating to obtaining permissions and clearances were being worked out.
Mr Paul said: “Let us complete this project (Bengal project) first. Ludhiana is still work in progress.”
The company on Tuesday entered into a memorandum of understanding with The Mission Hospital to set up a 500-bed multi-speciality facility hospital at the aerotropolis. The hospital will invest nearly Rs 150 crore to set up the facility, Dr Satyajit Bose, Chairman, said.
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