Mundra Port & Special Economic Zone plans international airport, awaits government nod

mundra Port & Special Economic Zone (MPSEZ), a company promoted by Ahmedabad-based billionaire, Gautam Adani, is planning to build an international airport in Mundra, for which the company has sent a proposal to the Board of Approval (BoA). The proposal will be considered at the BoA’s meeting scheduled on Thursday.

If the proposal is approved, MPSEZ will become the country’s first multi-product SEZ to have an international airport within its limits.

To develop the airport, the company has floated a 100% subsidiary, Mundra International Airport Pvt Ltd.

“The subsidiary company has submitted a proposal for becoming a co-developer to develop, operate and maintain an international airport and related infrastructure facilities, including airfield pavements, communication and navigational aids, visual aids, passenger and cargo terminals and equipment, support services, warehousing facilities and MRO facilities, over an area of around 175 hectares. MPSEZ, located in Kutch, is spread over 6,472 hectares,” said an official of the company.

At present, a 2,200-metre-long airstrip exists in Mundra. “This airstrip is used by chartered planes for private purposes. We have sought to convert it into a commercial airport and develop it further into an international airport. The existing airstrip will need to be extended,” said the official. Once BoA approves the proposal, an upgradation nod will be required from the civil aviation ministry. “We have the ministry’s approval for a private airport. Once the BoA of SEZ approves expansion of the airport, we will require an upgradation nod from the civil aviation ministry,” he said.

According to industry sources, two SEZs in Mumbai and Chennai are also planning to have airports within the SEZ area. “However, the development is probably in planning stage and they have not sought BoA’s approval yet,” said the sources.