Govt okays privatisation of Kolkata, Chennai airports

05 Jul 2013 CW Staff

To bring in private operators to run airports, the Union government on July 4 approved privatisation of the Chennai and Kolkata airports, which are currently operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Separately, AAI has sought approval from the government to raise Rs 1,000 crore through issue of tax-free bonds to develop 50 low-cost airports in the country. The inter-ministerial group decided to privatise the older terminals by bringing in a joint-venture partner to manage operations at the two airports.

The government's act is much in line with what it has done in Delhi and Mumbai. However, the new terminals built by AAI in both cities may be leased out to a private concessionaire at a pre-determined fee.

A senior official in the ministry said that the AAI has invested substantial resources in modernising the airports at Kolkata and Chennai. The new terminals might be leased out to the private concessionaire who would be asked to pay a compensation for the investments made by the Airports Authority.

Infrastructure Energy

17 Nov 2025

NTPC Plans Coal Gas Push And Expands Nuclear Pipeline

State-owned power producer NTPC Ltd is preparing to enter the coal gasification segment, targeting annual output of at least 5–10 million tonnes within the next three to four years, according to a senior company official. The cost of producing synthetic gas is projected at roughly USD 10–12 per million British thermal units. NTPC expects the pricing of its gas to remain competitive with the delivered cost of liquefied natural gas and anticipates no difficulty in securing buyers. The output will either be supplied to the domestic market or used in the company’s own facilities, with NTPC ..

SECL Launches Coal India’s First Paste Filling Project

South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) has marked a major step towards safer and more sustainable underground mining with the groundbreaking of Coal India’s first Paste Filling Technology project at the Singhali Underground Mine in the DSB Sub-Area of the Korba Area. The initiative, guided by SECL Chairman-cum-Managing Director Shri Harish Duhan, represents a pioneering move towards environmentally responsible underground mining. The Bhoomi Pujan (groundbreaking ceremony) was carried out with enthusiasm in the presence of senior SECL officials and employees. Shri Ramesh Chandra Mohapatra,..

Odisha Plans New Rail Corridors To Boost Logistics

Odisha is strengthening its logistics network as part of its port-led industrialisation strategy and is considering new railway corridors under the public–private partnership model to drive economic growth across the hinterland. Official sources said a new rail corridor has been proposed for the Talcher coalfields at an estimated cost of Rs 48.82 billion, along with the Gopalpur–Rayagada–Jeypore economic corridor, which will include both road and rail connectivity. Additional port-linked rail corridors are also being planned in various regions. A recent high-level meeting chaired by Ch..