Civil aviation ministry set to offer Jewar Airport project to GMR.

The civil aviation ministry is to offer the contract for building and running the proposed Jewar airport in Greater Noida to the GMR Group, which operates the one in Delhi, once the project gets the preliminary approvals that are required. The ministry is currently awaiting the Uttar Pradesh government's written consent.

'The population of the National Capital Region is about 50 million, which is going to increase further in the next four to five years. If we need a second airport in the region, we need to start planning now or it will be too late,' said a civil aviation ministry official who did not want to be identified. 'We will offer the construction and development of the new airport in Jewar to the GMR Group, if they feel that the new airport will impact their revenues.'

The official added that nothing on this plan has been shared with the PMO yet as the ministry is awaiting the Uttar Pradesh government's assent. 'The UP government has verbally communicated their approval and we are awaiting their written consent. Once that comes, we will form a committee in the ministry to work out the details and the proposal will be sent to all concerned, including the PMO,' said the official.

The GMR Group has the right of first refusal (RoFR) for any airport that is built within a 150-km radius of the existing airport in Delhi.


ET