GVK informs HC it needs Ambani's plot to contruct new runway

MUMBAI: Even as Ambani brothers are at loggerheads to acquire the deed to construct a hanger at the Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) here, GVK, which has been instrumental in giving a new look to the airport, has informed the Bombay High Court that they need the entire plot. Anil Ambani group company, Reliance Transport and Travels Private Limited (RTTL) had approached the Bombay High Court in January this year claiming rights to the title of a property in the CSIA. It had sought that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) be restrained from entering into a lease agreement with Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Industries (RIL) to construct the hanger. The counsel for GVK however informed the court that they need the entire plot as they are planning to construct a new runway. In January, the court had granted interim relief to RTTL, however yesterday Justice A P Deshpande did not extend the relief restraining AAI entering into the deed. The counsels for RTTL and RIL made statements in the court that neither of them will enter into any lease deed with the AAI for one week. In 2000, the AAI had allotted over 2701 square meters to RTTL which was under the flagship RIL to construct a hanger. However, after the demerger in 2005, RTTL informed AAI that the lease deed should be executed with them and not RIL.
24 Apr, 2008, 2240 hrs IST, PTITHE ECONOMIC TIMES