last minute security issues have put a question mark on the fate of the upcoming Aerocity Hospitality District.
Drawn on the lines of Changi Airport in Singapore and JFK Airport in the United States, the aerocity has been planned on the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport premises here to promote Delhi as a transit destination for the travellers. The hotels in Delhi Aerocity — Ibis, lemon Tree Premier and Red Fox — are awaiting security clearances to be thrown open to public, while the construction work on JW Mariott will be completed by the end of this year.
"We are awaiting security clearances for Ibis by the agencies since January last year, but every time the dates get pushed further. Due to this, the hotel remains shut for the customers and incurs a loss of multiple crores per month for the maintenance and upkeep of the hotel," said a developer at Aerocity.
The upcoming complex will add over 5,000 rooms to the current inventory of 11,000 rooms in Delhi-NCR. Aerocity was part of the modernisation plan of the IGI Airport presented by its operator, Delhi International Airport limited (DIAl), which was approved by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, but ran into security hassles in 2011. According to the industry experts the upcoming hospitality district will generate direct employment for over 10,000 people and indirect employment for over 30,000 people.
Aerocity was planned on the 45 acre expanse falling between the domestic terminal and the International terminal. DIAl had planned to build a hospitality district with 10 plots for hotels and another three plots for retail space and a convention centre.
According to the industry experts, the investments in the project are pegged to be over Rs 12,000 crore. A total of 12 hotels are expected to come up in this district, which will shoot up the hotel inventory of Delhi-NCR by almost 45 per cent.
Safety concerns
The upcoming hospitality district is very close to the main runway and the Air Force base.
The structures undergoing construction are very tall, posing security threats. The seven-storey buildings have a height of above 35 m. The terrace of the upcoming structures from which the runway, flight, taxiway, parking bay and VVIP operational area fall direct line in sight can be misused to launch terror.
located nearby, the VVIP movements including those of the Indian Prime Minister, President and other Cabinet movements take place from the Palam Technical Area. So any security lapse can result in a major tragedy.
Most hotels of the project are in various stages of completion and are waiting in the wings for the approvals to come on time. While 3,750 rooms are in varying stages of completion, work on 1,650 others is expected to commence soon. According to the industry experts the upcoming hospitality district will generate direct employment for over 10,000 people and indirect employment for over 30,000 people.