The first 100 per cent private airport in the country is likely to become operational in Karaikal, an enclave of Puducherry in Tamil Nadu, in another 24 months, a top official of the Super Airport Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, the developers, said on Monday.
Though the Ministry of Civil Aviation has given sanction for 14 Greenfield Airports across the Country, Karaikal is the only one and first 100 per cent private airport, while all the other 13 projects cleared were in the public-private partnership mode, Mr J.V. Chowdhury, Chairman, Super Airport, told reporters here.
The airport would come up in 400 acres of land, he said.
The company was in negotiation with strategic investors in both equity and debt, which would be finalised in six months and the first phase of construction is estimated at Rs 150 crore for a 1.8-km runway and a 250 Peak Hour Passenger (PHP) capacity terminal with all necessary infrastructure to ensure total safety operations, he said.
With the company almost finalising the purchase of another 162 acre of land, the airpot will be expanded to 2.6 km runway with a terminal building capable of handling 500 php in about five years and further expanded within 10 year to a runway of 3.5 km and a terminal building of 1,000 PHP capacity, he said.
Being the first commercial private airport, the utility charges would depend on market dynamics and will be varying from flight to flight, he said.