AAI to give Assam airport land to build Centre for Perishable Cargo

The leasing out of land owned by AAI for setting up of a centre for perishable cargo at Assam international airport was cleared by the Cabinet on Wednesday.

The Cabinet has approved Airports Authority of India (AAI) leasing out 4,050 square metres of land to Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC). “This will be utilised for setting up of Centre for Perishable Cargo (CPC) and its future expansion at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati,” an official release said.

Setting up of the centre would help in making facilities for air upliftment of perishable cargo from Guwahati more effective. The land is to be leased by AAI on a token licence fee of Rs 1 per annum for a period of seven years subject to signing of lease agreement. “After expiry of initial period of seven years, the future lease period will be made afresh as per AAI policy in-vogue,” the release said. Revenue from export of agriculture and horticulture items would improve economic conditions of North Eastern Region, it added. “There is a need for promotions of perishable cargo export from this region, which will generate employment opportunities directly or indirectly,” the release said.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved signing of a new air services agreement between India and Fiji that would allow Indian airlines to fly to any point in the island nation. The pact is for revising the ASA, which was entered into in January 1974. The updation is being done as per the latest ICAO template with an objective to improve air connectivity between the two countries, an official release said. 

It was cleared during the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “The existing route schedule annex to the ASA has also been revised and new points of call have been added for enhanced connectivity.

“Now Indian carriers can operate to any points in Fiji from points in India whereas the carriers of Fiji can establish direct operation to Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai in India and by code share with Indian carriers to Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad apart from points given for direct operation,” the release said.

Further, Kochi, Varanasi, Ahmedabad and Amritsar can be served through domestic code share operations. Among others, the designated airlines of both countries would have the right to establish offices in each other’s the territory for promotion and sale of air services. Routes and frequencies of the designated airlines would be decided subsequently.

The pact also has provisions relating to “revocation or suspension of operating authorisation, principles governing operations of agreed services, commercial opportunities, safety related clause etc. that were incorporated in the line of Indian model ASA”, the release said. Draft text of the ASA has been finalised in consultation with Ministries of Law & Justice, Finance, External Affairs, Tourism and Department of Commerce, it added.