Mihan has finally got a ground to stand on, as the vexed issue of transfer of the Nagpur airport was finally resolved. In a low key
affair on Thursday, Maharashtra
Airport Development Company (MADC) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) announced signing of the agreement of transfer' that effectively gave control of city airport to the Mihan India Private Limited (MIPL), the joint venture formed by the two entities.
The multimodal international hub at Nagpur (Mihan) project hinged on this act. It can be expected to take off now. The entire Nagpur airport comprising 1288.15 acres land, and other movable and immovable assets were handed over to the MIPL. Though this is subject to valuation of assets as per the joint venture agreement. The transferred land includes 288.68 acres land in airport in possession of Indian Air Force (IAF). It was only due to the impediments in airport transfer that the Mihan project, which was the original endeavour of MADC, had taken a backseat and focus was shifted to developing the special economic zone (SEZ). Without the airport, the plan to make Nagpur an international logistics hub remained on paper.
Vidarbha Economic Development Council (VED), a voluntary organisation, had moved the court for speedy transfer of the airport. Later MADC too moved court to coax AAI to part with the airport. Last month AAI filed an affidavit in court saying that the airport would be transferred within a week.
Now, the investors will be assured that the project will indeed come up. Companies like Deccan 360, which had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the MADC to set up a 100 acre logistics hub, were waiting for the transfer to happen. An in-principle approval was already given to the Deccan 360 plan. Now it would once again be taken up at the board for formal approval. Similarly, Air India too had come up with a proposal, which can be now considered seriously, said a MADC official.
Though Mihan was conceived around a decade ago, the activities gathered pace only in 2004. However, the transfer of airport always remained uncertain due to rivalry between the member of parliament and Vilas Muttemwar and the union civil aviation minister Praful Patel. The issue caused frequent war of words between the two. Patel was seen as intentionally delaying the transfer so as not to let Muttemwar walk away with credit for Mihan.
Though union civil aviation ministry and Maharashtra government decided in February 2006 that the airport should be transferred to a JV, it appeared to be a far cry. It was only in December 2008 that the joint venture agreement was framed and it came into existence in June 2009. All functions except the air traffic control would now go to the joint venture. Sharing of common facilities such as electricity and water, which require actual metering, will be subject to modalities to be decided mutually. The IAF's Gajraj base will also shift to an alternative site. A MADC official said that a major part of land for IAF was already under its possession and the rest would be acquired soon.
affair on Thursday, Maharashtra
Airport Development Company (MADC) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) announced signing of the agreement of transfer' that effectively gave control of city airport to the Mihan India Private Limited (MIPL), the joint venture formed by the two entities.
The multimodal international hub at Nagpur (Mihan) project hinged on this act. It can be expected to take off now. The entire Nagpur airport comprising 1288.15 acres land, and other movable and immovable assets were handed over to the MIPL. Though this is subject to valuation of assets as per the joint venture agreement. The transferred land includes 288.68 acres land in airport in possession of Indian Air Force (IAF). It was only due to the impediments in airport transfer that the Mihan project, which was the original endeavour of MADC, had taken a backseat and focus was shifted to developing the special economic zone (SEZ). Without the airport, the plan to make Nagpur an international logistics hub remained on paper.
Vidarbha Economic Development Council (VED), a voluntary organisation, had moved the court for speedy transfer of the airport. Later MADC too moved court to coax AAI to part with the airport. Last month AAI filed an affidavit in court saying that the airport would be transferred within a week.
Now, the investors will be assured that the project will indeed come up. Companies like Deccan 360, which had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the MADC to set up a 100 acre logistics hub, were waiting for the transfer to happen. An in-principle approval was already given to the Deccan 360 plan. Now it would once again be taken up at the board for formal approval. Similarly, Air India too had come up with a proposal, which can be now considered seriously, said a MADC official.
Though Mihan was conceived around a decade ago, the activities gathered pace only in 2004. However, the transfer of airport always remained uncertain due to rivalry between the member of parliament and Vilas Muttemwar and the union civil aviation minister Praful Patel. The issue caused frequent war of words between the two. Patel was seen as intentionally delaying the transfer so as not to let Muttemwar walk away with credit for Mihan.
Though union civil aviation ministry and Maharashtra government decided in February 2006 that the airport should be transferred to a JV, it appeared to be a far cry. It was only in December 2008 that the joint venture agreement was framed and it came into existence in June 2009. All functions except the air traffic control would now go to the joint venture. Sharing of common facilities such as electricity and water, which require actual metering, will be subject to modalities to be decided mutually. The IAF's Gajraj base will also shift to an alternative site. A MADC official said that a major part of land for IAF was already under its possession and the rest would be acquired soon.
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