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V. Rishi Kumar

HYDERABAD, Feb. 18

THE `financial closure' of the Rs 1,200-crore greenfield Hyderabad International airport, planned to be developed at Shamshabad about 30 km from Hyderabad, is expected to be completed by this financial year-end.

"This development will be a major landmark to take up this ambitious project under the public private partnership (PPP) model. This will form part of the mega project comprising the airport, the hardware park and the economic zone. The consortium of GMR Vasavi Infrastructure and Malaysia Airport Holding Berhard (MAHB) have won the mandate for the project," an official source said.

The airport is to be developed with participation from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the State Government and the consortium partners. The State Government's equity will be in the form of providing the necessary land and related infrastructure.

The Government is pushing for various clearances to expedite the project. The matter has lately been subjected to a host of environmental audits.

"As is the case with any major greenfield infrastructure project, the number of clearances we have to secure are endless. For instance, the issue of clearance from the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) was a long drawn process that we have recently secured. However, it will be a while before we take up the construction work," the official said.

It may be recalled that the Government, which is also a developer of the project on one side and has to secure pollution clearances from the pollution board, had run into rough weather wherein it had to confront its own legislations and orders which prevent establishment of polluting units and residential colonies near water bodies. Two major water bodies are located near the proposed airport.

Meanwhile, the AAI has announced plans to expedite the expansion of the existing Hyderabad airport.

The Rs 70-crore expansion project would involve extending the runway both on the eastern and western side and also removing certain infrastructure hurdles in its flight path funnel.

Notices have been sent to some of the residents, whose houses are said to be in the flight path, according to Capt S.N. Reddy, Special Secretary and Advisor Civil Aviation, Andhra Pradesh Government.

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Hyderabad airport financial closure likely by fiscal-end

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