Maharashtra Airport Development Company

Maharashtra Airport Development Company Limited (MADC), constituted in the year 2002 by the Government of Maharashtra (GoM) as a Special Purpose Company. MADC was jointly formed with equity participation from City and Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (CIDCO), Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd. (MSRDC) and later Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to join in equity.

Formation of MADC

MADC has been formed to play a lead role in the planning and implementation of the Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) project,^[1] keeping in mind all the key objectives. The Government of Maharashtra has taken the initiative of setting up a world class Multi-modal International Hub Airport at Nagpur. MADC would also take up development of other Airports in Maharashtra not belonging to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Indian Air Force (IAF) which will provide air connectivity between various important district Head Quarters and the Capital of the State, Mumbai

Integrated with the development of MIHAN, the master plan of the project consist of a Special Economic Zone ^[2] consisting of an Information Technology City, Health City, a Captive Power Plant, and other Manufacturing and Value Added units.

Challenges in New Airport Development

Greenfield Airport Policy of Ministry of Aviation and Airport Authority of India states that there cannot be an airport within 150 km of an existing airport. As per this criterion, there cannot be any new airports in the state of Maharashtra as all existing operational airports are more or less 150 km from each other.

In India, there is aerial distance requirement of 150 km for creation of new airports close to an existing one. This policy hampers the development of new airports and puts extra load on existing airports. In year 2020, almost 15-20 percent of our population will travel by air. We need 400 to 500 airports in India and if there is a restriction of 150 km distance, we will not be able to construct new airports. Some important cities do not have airport as they are 40–50 km from a existing airport. Reaching an existing airport from a nearby city almost takes 3 to 5 hours. Passengers do not prefer Indirect air travel to such cities which do not have their own airport. Direct air travel is the only best option for air connectivity. There are 5 operational airports in London. Distance between each airport in London is about 35–40 miles only. So, why India has these distance restrictions for new Greenfield airports ?

If India sticks to this distance restrictions, we will hardly be able to develop any new greenfield airports. This will hit the tier 2,3 and 4 towns which have the potential to grow, but have not prospered due to lack of airport. There will always be an existing airport about 40 to 50 km from such cities. The conclusion is that small cities will not get airports and traffic at large airports will go on increasing thus choking the large airports.

One classic example.. There is an airport at Kolhapur which is about 50 km from Sangli. Both Sangli and Kolhapur are major cities in South Maharashtra and both have the same population (approx 6 lacs). But Sangli does not get a new airport as it is within the distance restrictions of the existing airport at Kolhapur. Sangli is one of the most prosperous and progressive tier 3 cities. There are over 10 industrial estates around Sangli which include Information Technology Park, a Wine Park, Integrated Textile Park and Food Park. But large Indian corporates are not willing to come to Sangli due to lack of airport. This has hampered the industrial development around Sangli. Recently, government of Maharashtra had sent a proposal to Airport Authority for greenfield airport in Sangli on 350 hectares barren land, about 8 km from Sangli city. Airport Authority of India has completed the feasibility report for the Sangli greenfield airport. But the Sangli airport has been again hit by this distance restriction.

Many such tier 3 and 4 cities in India are facing the same issue. Unless, government scraps this old restriction for new airports, aviation growth in India will be limited and restricted to metro cities only.

See also

• MADC-Official Website^{[dead link]}
• Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN)
• Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT)
• Nagpur
• Vidarbha
• Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC)
• Airports Authority of India (AAI)

References

1. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}
2. ^ SEZ-THE GAZETTE OF INDIA^{[dead link]}

External links

• [2]^{[dead link]}