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A decision on upgradation of Delhi and Mumbai airports is likely to be taken by the finance ministry in a week's time as part of government's efforts to create world-class civil aviation infrastructure in the country.
The ministry would decide whether the task would be carried out solely by the Airports Authority of India or with private sector participation, Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain said in New Delhi on Tuesday.
While the government had proposed, in the Union Budget, creation of joint venture companies between AAI and private parties for the two metro airports, the Cabinet last month had cleared a proposal for amending the AAI Act to pave the way for development of greenfield airports with private participation.
The AAI (amendment) Bill, 2000, incorporating these changes is to be tabled in Parliament this week itself.
"It is a dream project of the government" to have world-class airports in the country keeping pace with the developments in this sector globally, Hussain said.
Keeping this policy in view, two greenfield airports are being constructed at Shamsabad near Hyderabad and Devanahalli near Bangalore, which would attract an investment of Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion).