Featured Airport: Kolkata International, India (CCU)

Overview

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (Kolkata Airport) is situated in Dum Dum, 16 Kilometers (10 miles) northeast of the City. Kolkata is known as the business capital of eastern India. The area is benefiting from increased levels of Foreign Direct Investment due to the liberalisation of east India's industrial policy.

This has been reflected in the increased numbers of passengers Kolkata Airport is processing each year, up half a million on 2008 to 7.6 million pax in 2009. The airport has witnessed a 6.4% growth in international traffic and 21.4% growth in domestic traffic over the past 5 years. Current projections suggest Kolkata Airport will handle 25 mppa in 2015-16.

Local Catchment

• Kolkata has a population of 5 Million

Terminal Development

Kolkata Airport is being redeveloped to bring its facilities up to meet international standards. Due for completion in August 2011 the modernised airport will feature a combined Domestic and International terminal with a passenger capacity of 24.6 mppa. An extended second runway totaling 3239 meters with 11 additional parking stands for aircraft. The redevelopment also boasts a new air traffic control tower with new Communication, Navigation and Surveillance technology.

The new terminal building will have an area of approximately 180,000 sq metres, housing 104 check-in counters, 44 immigration counters, 25 security gates, five conveyor belts and 15 aerobridges

Designed by RMJM, the new terminal will be able to handle 20 million passengers per annum, which should be sufficient until 2015. Work has already begun and the terminal should open by May 2011.

Network

There are 910 weekly services operated by 20 carriers including, Emirates and Lufthansa. Low cost operators also have a presence with Indigo taking the lead, followed by Jet Airways. The 5 airlines with the greatest number of weekly services are listed below;

Opportunities

• Doha
• Hong Kong
• Muscat

Trade

Kolkata is well connected by rail, road and air with major parts of the country and abroad. The city's growth in industrial sectors such as Jute, Textile, Leather, IT, Electronics and medicines has drawn international attention. Various plans and projects are being carried out to revamp the industrial landscape of the city.

Based upon the available opportunities and potential of this region, the State Government has identified the following industries as growth sectors: Petrochemicals and Downstream Industries, Electronics & Information Technology, Iron and Steel, Metallurgical & Engineering, Textiles, Leather and Leather Products, Manufacture of Basic Drugs, Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals and promotion of tourism.

International Giants with Operations in Kolkata

IBM, Texas Instruments, Cisco Systems, Intel Asia Electronics Inc, Deloitte, Sun Microsystems, Honeywell, PwC, HSBC Global Technology, Capgemini, Atos Origin, Foster Wheeler, Siemens, Novell and ABN AMRO Bank