Recently, the government announced that five new Greenfield airports would come up in the next two years. These airports would be located at Pakyong in Sikkim, Shimoga, Gulbarga, Bijapur and Hassan in Karnataka. The government also accorded ‘in-principle’ approval to the establishment of seven new airports and has also received proposals for establishment of another eight new airports across the country. This is in addition to the various other Greenfield and Brownfield airport projects underway in the country.
These are clear indications of the unprecedented airport infrastructure development taking place in India. And these obviously translate into huge opportunities in this sector. Explains why IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd, a leading highway development company, has forayed into airport development recently. IRB has been declared as the selected bidder for the development of a Greenfield Airport in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra (one of the seven airports receiving the in-principle accord).
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An analysis from Frost & Sullivan – rightly titled – Strategic Opportunities in the Indian Airport Infrastructure Market – finds that investment in airport infrastructure was over US$5 billion in 2008 and expects this to reach US$9 billion by 2013. Of this, nearly, US$6.8 billion is expected to come through public private partnerships (PPPs). The addressed market includes both the Greenfield and Brownfield opportunities. Current scenario Notwithstanding future projections and growth potentials, it is important to understand the ground realities. According to Niranjan Simha, head, airports segment, I&CB, buildings & factories operating company, ECC Division, L&T LTD, the airport infrastructure sector today is going through a flux. “From a boom period a few years back this sector is now at crossroads of taking major decisions of expansions and new developments. All activities in this sector are now happening post-requirement rather than being future-proofed. However, there are efforts from the ministry and developers to revive this sector through innovative means of alternate revenue generating methods and spurring of the airline industry,” he adds.
PK Sundaramoorthy, MD, Hunter Douglas India feels that a lot is required in the form of basic infrastructure in this sector in the coming time. He points out that barring a few airports, most airports in India lack the minimum basic amenities. “Ever gone and seen the Chandigarh Airport? Happens to be India’s fastest booming city - it’s a true reflection of how handicapped our infrastructure planning/foresightedness is. There’s lot to be achieved in terms of good planning and right kind of product to build a state of the art airport in India which can be called truly international,” he says. Incidentally, Hunter Douglas has experience in more than 100 countries and its architectural products are been used in numerous airports across the world.
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