New Delhi, Oct 21: A Group of Ministers is likely to take a final decision on Tuesday on the Uttar Pradesh government`s proposal to construct a greenfield airport at Greater Noida.
The GoM, comprising Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Law Minister H R Bharadwaj, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, had earlier sought legal opinion on the issue and had asked Attorney General Milon Banerjee to prepare a report.
Controversy arose over the proposal as the prevailing norms stipulate that a second airport will not be allowed to come up within 150-km range of an existing one.
The legal issues to be examined by the AG included the Right of First Refusal (RoFR) that could be exercised by the GMR-led consortium Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) which is modernising Delhi`s IGI Airport, in case a second airport came up within its vicinity.
Greater Noida falls within 150-km range of Delhi Airport.
The RoFR, which is part of the omnibus agreement, gives right to the consortium to become the preferred bidder for constructing a second airport if its bid was within a range of ten per cent of the highest bidder.
Sources in Law Ministry said there was enough material which could go against the proposal to create the new airport.
The UP government has planned to create the Taj International Aviation Hub, at an estimated cost of Rs 5,000 crore, at Jhevar area in Greater Noida which is about 60 kms from here and 120 km from Agra.
Though the Union Cabinet had in January approved the proposal in principle, speculation is rife that the souring relationship between UP Chief Minister Mayawati and the Centre could adversely affect the proposal.
Bureau Report
