Parandur greenfield airport: Bids invited for international consultant
CHENNAI: The state government on Monday moved one step closer to constructing the proposed international airport in Parandur with the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) inviting bids from consultants to re-assess the land requirement for the various components of the greenfield airport and other development works that could generate non-aviation revenue at the airport site.
The consultant for the airport, which was four months ago announced to be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 20,000 crore, will also prepare a Detailed Techno Economic Report, obtain statutory clearances and assist in conducting bidding process management for the facility’s proposed development model.
Under the proposed 104-week contract, the consultant will also determine phase-wise development of the project besides clearly delineating the exact extent of land parcel required for the first phase of the project development.
This would be one of the critical courses of action for the project, which is still facing opposition from the residents of 13 villages in and around Parandur, whose land is being acquired for the project. The government requires 4,563.56 acres of land spread over 13 villages for the project.
Of these, 3,246.38 acres are patta land (2,46.79 acres of Najai land and 799 acres of Punjai or rain-fed lands). The remaining 1,317.18 acres are tagged government poramboke land. A total of 1,005 families have been affected by the project, and the local residents also raise concern over the project’s impact on watershed and water-spread areas nearby.
Interestingly, a master plan is being prepared for the airport in conformity with the International Civil Aviation Organisation and Director General of Civil Aviation (Civil Aviation Requirement) guidelines, outlining the location of all airport facilities and ensuring that the city-side development proposals are properly integrated with the overall development. The masterplan will also focus on the number and length of runways and taxiways, number of aircraft parking stands and other airfield facilities.
The main objective of the study is to carry out market demand assessment and air traffic forecasting. It will also identify the technical and economic factors influencing development and operation of the greenfield airport, which is expected to handle around 10 crore passengers annually.