CHENNAI: The Airports Authority of India has drawn up a plan to develop 35 non-metro airports by modernising the infrastructure and augmenting non-aeronautical revenue.

The aim is to make the airports conform to international standards in facilities and services and develop the city-side and airside of terminal buildings. The long-term plan is to woo domestic operators to shift base, so as to decongest major airports. To encourage airlines to use airports other than the busy ones — Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad — night parking charges, between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., were reduced by 50 per cent at the AAI airports from January 1 this year.

Madurai and Thiruvananthapuram are among the 10 airports identified for the first phase.

AAI sources have told The Hindu that the Union Civil Aviation Ministry has submitted a proposal to the committee on infrastructure for developing non-metro airports, State-owned airports, non-functional AAI airports, green field airports and private airports.

The features will include modular design, structured steel with toughened glass glazing, vertical air-conditioning system, aerobridges with glass walls, walkways, in-line baggage screening for check-in, escalators, improved signage, integrated building management system, `intelligent' terminals, common user terminal equipment system and improved traffic management.

The estimated expenditure for the development of terminal buildings and airside works is Rs.5, 500 crore. The AAI has appointed a credit-rating agency. A financial advisor-cum-lead-arranger will help raise the funds.

The AAI has forecast a 15 per cent increase in domestic air passenger traffic during 2005-06 and 10 per cent in international traffic.

In the second phase, Agatti, Aurangabad, Khajuraho, Rajkot, Vadodara, Bhopal, Indore, Nagpur, Visakhapatnam, Tiruchi, Bhubaneshwar, Coimbatore, Patna, Port Blair and Varanasai airports will be developed. Agartala, Dehradun, Imphal, Ranchi, Raipur, Chandigarh, Pune, Dimapur, Agra and Jammu airports will be taken up in the third phase.

Concept paper

The Civil Aviation Ministry had circulated a concept paper in August 2002. After discussions with the agencies concerned, the AAI has undertaken the project. According to the concept paper, the AAI will hold a minimum of 26 per cent equity in the joint venture in the form of assets. The rest will be provided by private sector/financial institution/State Government for city-side development of viable non-metro airports.

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