Changi keen to run Nagpur intl airport

This was revealed to The Indian Express by MADC managing director, R.C, Sinha, who said, “We have asked the airport to participate in the tender process.”

Mihan seeks to create an international air passenger and cargo hub at Nagpur. A 2000-hectare SEZ has already been cleared under the project and many leading I-T companies, including Satyam and L&T Infocity, have bought land to set up units here.

Asked what happens to MADC running the airport along with the Airport Authority of India (AAI) with 51 per cent stakes as against 49 for the latter, Sinha said, “ultimately we’re going to hand over the airport to a private company as has been done in Mumbai and New Delhi.”

About the outcome of the Road Show, Sinha said, “We had 200 participants. Subsequently, I had one-on-one discussions with 15 potential investors and they were very positive.” Sinha said, Singapore’s top I-T company Ascendas has sought 60 acre land for setting up its Rs 800 crore I-T park in MIHAN.

Meanwhile, way has been paved for MADC to take over the airport, with the amended draft MoU with AAI being finally cleared. “We have accepted their one term, that is MADC will absorb all their staffers,” Sinha said.

AAI had initially agreed to an arrangement where 40 per cent of its staffers would be retained by it while 60 per cent would got to MADC. Subsequently, it amended the MoU and asked MADC to accept all its staffers. It also asked MADC to pay up the entire amount of Rs 35 crore being spent currently on Nagpur airport modernisation.

For a while, there was a stalemate between the two sides. But it has now been resolved. “We will take all their staffers on our rolls, but we will not pay the modernisation money being spent currently by the AAI,” Sinha said.