Nagpur: In coming days, Nagpur may have a business district near the expanded airport spread over an area almost equal to that of Delhi’s Aerocity. As GMR Aero assumed operations for 30 years, it allocated 100 hectare for city-side development. A large part of it includes Aerocity — a concept brought in by GMR at the airports run by the company. This entails building of a business district with commercial estates, hotels and retail chains alongside the airport, giving fillip to real estate and local economy. In full capacity GMR expects to create 30,000 jobs from airport developmentThe Delhi Aerocity, also run by GMR, is spread over 93 hectare. With 100 hectares earmarked for Nagpur, it translates to almost the same in acre terms. The expansion and development of aerocity would happen over a period of time as passenger traffic and business increases, the source added.As part of the first phase of development, GMR plans to pump in Rs 300 crore and the amount will be spent in refurbishing Nagpur airport and the revamped terminal is expected to be ready within 18 months, after which work on the new terminal is scheduled to begin.On total investments in Nagpur project, GMR Group’s executive director SGK Kishore said it’s around Rs 1,600 crore, but can escalate.The present terminal building is spread over 19,500 square metres. GMR hopes to get a passenger traffic of 3.1 million in 2027. As it revamps the airport, GMR would be adding entry gates, a faster system for passengers to check in, a separate channel for the fliers travelling with just hand baggage and more security gates. A parallel taxiway would also be built along with the current runway apart from an underground fuelling system leading to decongestion. The entire seating area, lounges and toilets would be refurbished, as per a presentation by GMR.Handling 10,800 tonnes of cargo at present, GMR plans to double the capacity at the present terminal itself, taking it to the full capacity in the existing building. The second terminal will have a capacity to handle 30 million passengers in a year. In the final phase, GMR projects to build a capacity of 50 million.
