Nagpur: Nearly nine years after it was first planned, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport of Nagpur was formally handed over to the GMR Group on Thursday, clearing the way for a long-pending overhaul that aims to turn the city’s saturated single-terminal airport into a major aviation, cargo and maintenance hub for Central India.GMR Nagpur International Airport Ltd will begin work with a revamp of the existing terminal and construction of second runway, the latter being added to first phase of development on special request made by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.The airport’s annual capacity, now about 35 lakh passengers, is set to rise to 50 lakh after the current terminal is upgraded, and eventually ramp up to 3 crore passengers after the entire master plan, which includes construction of a new terminal, materialises. The plan also envisages increased international connections and a maintenance hub that could make Nagpur a base for aircraft servicing in Central India.GMR Airports chairman GBS Raju said, “It is a moment of great pride and deep satisfaction for all of us at GMR as we formally take over the operations. Our immediate focus will be on modernisation of the existing terminal. We see Nagpur emerging as one of India’s key strategic aviation hubs, with strong potential across both passenger and cargo segments.”Union civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu pitched the project as a hub for multiple segments. “An airport should not remain only a transit point for passengers. Nagpur has the potential to become a place where aviation, logistics, cargo, business and urban growth move together,” said Naidu. He added that the city was best suited to become a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub under Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.CM Fadnavis said GMR had an advantage as it develops the airport. “I think this is the first airport where supporting infrastructure like Metro connection, highway entry exist before work begins on the airport. In future, more road connections are being built courtesy Union minister (Nitin) Gadkari,” said Fadnavis. He also recalled the hurdles this project had to clear, which included long drawn litigations, which went all the way to Supreme Court, including review and curative petitions. “One hurdle after another kept coming, govts changed, and there were many legacy issues to settle,” he said, recalling years of follow-up by the state, Centre and aviation authorities.Union minister Nitin Gadkari credited Fadnavis for the persistence that saw it through. “Devendra (Fadnavis) came to Delhi eight or nine times for this, he had the patience for it despite the delays,” he said. Gadkari said the onus is on GMR to push the speed of work and sought civil aviation ministry’s assistance to ensure bureaucratic ease of doing business. “Any files pertaining to this project must be cleared at the earliest so that there are no roadblocks. Once completed, Nagpur airport will become the hub for passengers from Central India,” said Gadkari.
