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New civil aviation policy to get Cabinet nod by April-end

EAW Staff - New Delhi

The new Civil Aviation Policy, which will serve as the framework for creation of all future greenfield airport projects, will finally go to the Cabinet for an approval by April end. Sources in the Ministry of Civil Aviation have also confirmed the news.

An official from the Ministry of Civil Aviation said, "According to the policy, a framework will be established for creation of all new airports and a steering committee will be formed with representatives from concerned ministries, including Defence Ministry, for project approval. The committee will serve as a single-window clearance system where all departments/ministries concerned can give their inputs. Projects will be taken to the Cabinet only in case of contentious issues like the ones that surfaced in case of Hyderabad and Bangalore airports."

The issue, it is learnt, has been discussed in the Committee on Infrastructure and also cleared recently by a three-member committee which had on board finance minister P Chidambaram, civil aviation minister Praful Patel and planning commissioner deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The policy also looks into setting up of multiple airports within 150 km radii and the investment framework for them.

Meanwhile, on the controversial User Development Fee (UDF) issue that the new airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore plan to impose on passengers for additional facilities, the ministry said the airport in Bangalore will not charge domestic passengers any UDF for the first three months of operation. However, international departing passengers will have to shell out Rs 1,070 per person as UDF, including tax. The airport in Hyderabad will charge Rs 1,000 per departing international passenger.