The story so far: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced in the legislative assembly plans for setting up an international airport on 2,000 acres of land, with the capacity to handle three crore passengers annually, in the industrial town of Hosur, which is 40 kms away from Bengaluru. While the airport has been a long standing demand of the industrialists in the area, one of the hurdles is that the concession agreement signed between the Centre and the Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru, does not allow for new or existing airports (except for Mysore and Hassan airports) within an aerial distance of 150 kms before 2033.
What is the significance of Hosur?
Hosur in Krishnagiri district is located on the border of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Hosur is situated at 3,000 feet above sea level and according to a report by online publisher Visual Capitalist in 2021, it was ranked 13 in the world among the list of cities with the fastest population growth with an annual growth rate of 5.38%. Hosur has emerged as a flourishing industrial town with prominent companies such as Tata Electronics, TVS, Ashok Leyland, Titan, and Rolls-Royce (IAMPL) establishing significant operations in the area. It has emerged as a nucleus for auto and electric vehicle manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, logistics and electronics. The industrial town is also strong in traditional sectors like floriculture and horticulture. Estimates suggest that around 3,000 MSMEs are present in the region, engaged in engineering fabrication, tooling, and polishing, among others.
The State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (SIPCOT), the State government’s nodal agency to promote industrial infrastructure, has established industrial parks in Hosur in two phases spread over 2,093 acres. SIPCOT is currently in the process of acquiring land of 3,382.84 acres for expanding and setting up new industrial parks in the region. Private industrial parks have also come up in the region. To meet the water requirement of the industries located in the Hosur area, SIPCOT is establishing a 20 megalitres per day Tertiary Treatment Reverse Osmosis (TTRO) plant at Kelavarapalli, which is expected to be completed by September.
According to Tamil Nadu Industries Minister T.R.B Rajaa, the airport project in Hosur will enhance connectivity and stimulate economic growth, benefiting not only Hosur but also neighbouring districts such as Dharmapuri and Salem. He has also pointed out that the new airport will foster a twin-city ecosystem with Bengaluru, propelling growth in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
What about the previous plan?
Hosur airport is owned by Taneja Aerospace and Aviation Limited. In 2023, replying to a question by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Rajya Sabha MP P. Wilson, the then Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation General (retired) V.K. Singh said in the first round of bidding under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)- Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN), a bid was received for the routes Chennai-Hosur-Chennai and due to the concession agreement with BIAL the route was not awarded and Hosur airport was deleted from UDAN document for future round of bidding.
What does the Union Civil Aviation Ministry’s guidelines state?
As per the present guidelines of the Civil Aviation Ministry, the regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) while granting licence to operate a greenfield airport should take into account that no greenfield airport would be allowed within an aerial distance of 150 kms of an existing civilian airport. In case a greenfield airport is proposed to be set up within 150 kms of an existing civilian airport, the impact on the existing airport would be examined and such cases would be decided by the government on a case to case basis. Such an application shall be first considered by the Steering Committee, headed by the Secretary of Civil Aviation. After considering the application, the Steering Committee shall make a suitable recommendation to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The Ministry shall place the matter before the Union Cabinet for its consideration and the DGCA would grant a licence only after their approval.
In 2017, the Centre granted in-principle approval for a greenfield airport at Jewar in Greater Noida based on the recommendations of the Steering Committee on Greenfield Airports. The Noida International Airport is located 72 kms from the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, Delhi and 65 kms from the Hindon Air Force station Ghaziabad. The Centre said the airport in Delhi NCR region will help decongest the IGI Airport and will serve the people of Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Aligarh, Agra, and Faridabad.
What next?
Airport projects have a long gestation period to come on stream. Given that the DMK government is part of the Opposition alliance, it has to negotiate hard with the Centre to get the necessary relaxation in norms for setting up the airport, besides other regulatory and environmental clearances. Setting up the necessary supporting infrastructure for the airport is another challenge which needs to be overcome.
