Even as the state government on Tuesday clarified that international airports at Jevar in Greater Noida and Meerut were separate projects, a delegation of MPs from UP met Union Civil aviation minister Prafull Patel and requested him to clear the project of Taj International Airport at Jevar as soon as possible.

The state government through a press statement said that while the international airport at Jevar is an entirely new project, the one in Meerut is to upgrade the existing airstrip into an airport of international standard. The Meerut airport will be developed on public-private-partnership model, it stated.

The delegation told the minister the only condition laid before placing Jevar airport project for the Union cabinet approval was that the “First Right of refusal” will be vested with the promoter will also get 10% price preference.

The state government had then also assured the Union government that Taj International Airport and that the state government will have representation in the ‘special purpose vehicle’ (SPV) for the project, the delegation told the minister.

The delegation said all the conditions laid by the Union government were fulfilled by the state government in 2007, hence now there should be no delay in granting approval to the Jevar airport project.

The Times of India, New Delhi (Wednesday, February 24, 2010)