Unique Airport, which runs the Zurich Airport, is hungry for more in Karnataka. Just months before completing the Rs 2,000 crore Bangalore International Airport, this $13 billion global major has evinced interest in developing three airports in second tier cities such as Hassan, Shimoga, Gulbarga and Bijapur in Karnataka. | |
| Zurich Airport has evinced this interest in response to a tender which the Karnataka government had called for, with each costing around at least Rs 30 crore. Unique Airport owns 17 per cent stake in Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL). |
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| Of the four cities identified in Karnataka "" Hassan, Shimoga, Gulbarga and Bijapur "" the first contract has been awarded to Bangalore-based Jupiter Aviation, promoted by Rajeev Chandrasekar, for constructing an airport in Hassan. |
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| Competing with Unique Airport are Tata Group, Gammon India, L&T, Changi Airport, Emaar Group and Deccan Aviation have submitted bids to build the remaining three on a public-private partnership (PPP) model. |
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| According to Karnataka's principal secretary for Infrastructure Development V P Baligar, the state received 19 such bids of which 16 companies have been asked to submit proposals by September 7. |
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| The government will lease the land out to the chosen company or consortium for a 30-year period to build and develop the airports as well as commercial complexes around it. |
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| These airports are expected to handle ATR-72 aircraft, although they are likely to be expanded later to handle larger aircraft such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s. The airports are likely to be ready within 18 months of financial closure of the project, Baligar said. |
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