By IANS
New Delhi : A Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Thursday called for wider consultations on the legal aspects of a proposed international airport at Greater Noida, near the capital.
The GoM examined the legal aspects of the proposed airport, but the meeting remained inconclusive, aviation ministry officials said.
In the meeting, Law Minister H.R. Bhardwaj and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel discussed the legal aspects of the case and asked a legal panel to hold wider consultations.
Although the government has agreed in principle for the proposed Rs.50 billion Taj International Aviation Hub (TIAH), the GMR Group that is modernising the New Delhi airport has opposed the project.
Legal issues related to the rights of the GMR Group, which fears loss of business and revenue if the new facility comes up, were discussed at the GoM meeting.
As a matter of policy, a new airport cannot come up within 150 km distance from an existing one, but Greater Noida is just 70 km away from the Delhi airport.
The government wants to clear all hurdles before going ahead with the project.