New Delhi, Aug. 14: A cabinet committee today approved the modernisation of the Calcutta airport — a formality that is of political interest rather than administrative significance.

The modernisation process has already got off the ground after several months’ delay when the civil aviation ministry gave its clearance in April. A technical committee is now evaluating bids to select a company that will implement the Rs 2,000-crore project.

Today’s approval by the cabinet committee on economic affairs has formalised the nod by the ministry. However, equations between the Centre and the Left Front government had changed in the intervening months following the CPM’s withdrawal of support to the UPA.

The break-up had fuelled speculation that the Centre would drag its feet on projects based in Bengal. At a party meeting in Calcutta, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had said such retribution would harm the country’s interests.

Sources in Delhi had then said the Centre would not go out of its way to hold up token clearances, suggesting that matters would take their own course through the red tape.

The approval today indicates the government saw no reason in blocking it as the modernisation process has already started. Besides, along with the Calcutta project, the modernisation of the airport in Chennai was also cleared. The DMK, in power in Tamil Nadu, is an influential ally of the UPA.