Maharashtra signs MoU with centre, AAI to develop 10 airports

The Maharashtra government today signed an agreement with Civil Aviation Ministry and the Airports Authority of India for developing 10 airports in the state under the centre's regional connectivity scheme (RCS).

RCS, which is part of ambitious National Civil Aviation Policy 2016, is aimed at developing regional connectivity through fiscal support and infrastructure development from the centre.

"The MoU, signed in presence of Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, aims to facilitate regional air connectivity by making it affordable by enacting different concessions offered by Centre, the state government and the operators," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

The 10 airports - Kolhapur, Shirdi, Amravati, Gondia, Nashik, Jalgaon, Nanded, Solapur, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg will be developed, wherein state will contribute 20 percent cost of Viability Gap Funding, whereas the centre will bear the remaining 80 percent cost.

"I thank the Government of India for the dynamic policies of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and I am confident that with this MoU, aviation in Maharashtra will definitely move to the next level," Fadnavis said, adding that some other issues and their solutions were also discussed in the meeting and some important decisions taken.

"For development of greenfield international airport at Rajgurunagar (New Chakan), the Airport Authority will send a team for preliminary study in first week of September 2016," the CM said.

He said that for building heights in BKC and Wadala notified areas, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) survey will be completed soon and final report is expected by December 2016.

The CM said the operations at Shirdi airport will begin from November 2016 and AAI will provide all help needed for this project.

As per the MoU, the state government will reduce the Local Body Tax (LBT) on air fuel from existing 10 percent to 1 percent for a period of 10 years.

The MoU states that government will provide essential land free of cost.

These airports will be provided with roads, rail, Metro and waterway connectivity. The state government will also provide electricity, water and necessary facilities at concessional rates, the MoU says.