The Durgapur Aerotropolis in India's West Bengal region, has moved a step closer after the developer Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Limited (BAPL) acquired 1,820 acres of land for the project in a new agreement with the West Bengal government.

According to The Economic Times newspaper, the agreement commits BAPL to complete the first phase of the aerotropolis by December 2013 under pain of forfeiture of the holding.

Located in the Barddhaman district of Bengal, the blueprint for the Durguapur Aerotropolis project envisages the creation of an airport and commercial developments spread across 930 hectares of greenfield land to include a 220-hectare industrial and IT park, a logistics hub and a 263-hectare township.

The report also stated BAPL has initiated talks with Kingfisher, Air India, Indigo and Jet Airways to launch new routes from the airport once it becomes operational.

Costing an estimated $2.5 billion, the Durgapur Aerotropolis will be only the second commercial airport in India to be built and operated by private investors.

Through its subsidiary Changi Airport Planners and Engineers (CAPE), Changi Airport Group, which owns 26% of BAPL, is advising the developer as a technical consultancy role and was closely involved in the development of plans for airside facilities, the airport's passenger terminal and developing ancillary airport operations.

Other partners involved in the project include IL&FS Infrastructure Development Corporation and Hong Kong-based Townland Consultants, who helped drive the master plan, and the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC).