GMR takes over Nagpur airport; city to become major aviation, cargo hub

Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Thursday, while describing Nagpur as the birthplace of India’s Aerotropolis vision, said the city is uniquely positioned to emerge as a major aviation, cargo and aircraft maintenance hub as the redevelopment of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport formally entered a new phase with its handover to GMR Group.

The Handing Over ceremony was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, former Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, Chairman of GMR Airports G B S Raju, senior officials of the Civil Aviation Ministry, Airports Authority of India and GMR Group, along with public representatives and industry stakeholders.

‘Birthplace of Aerotropolis vision’

Taking the lead in outlining the future roadmap for the airport, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said Nagpur was among the first cities in India where the concept of an Aerotropolis was envisioned in a comprehensive manner. He said airports should not merely function as transit points for passengers but must serve as engines of economic growth by attracting industries, manufacturing units, IT services, agriculture-based businesses, tourism and logistics infrastructure.

“The full economic potential of an airport is realised when economic activity develops around it. That is when the concept of an Aerotropolis truly comes alive,” Naidu said.

Highlighting the transformation of India’s aviation sector, Naidu said the country had only 74 airports in 2014, compared to more than 165 airports today. He termed the growth a reflection of “New India” and said the next phase would focus on creating a complete aviation ecosystem through reforms, transparency and citizen-centric development.

The minister said Nagpur possesses unmatched geographical, climatic and strategic advantages and is ideally suited to become India’s leading Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hub. He added that cargo operations would be another major growth driver, helping connect Nagpur’s oranges, handicrafts, artisan products, electronics and manufactured goods with global markets.

“We want Nagpur to be connected to Dubai, Singapore, Europe, Australia and the United States. Our vision is to make India a global aviation hub capable of competing with the best in the world,” he said.

Naidu also expressed confidence in GMR’s ability to deliver the project, describing the company as one of the world’s leading airport operators. He assured citizens that the long wait for the airport’s transformation was finally over and that visible progress would now follow.

CM Fadnavis urges faster execution

CM Fadnavis, while welcoming the redevelopment project, urged GMR to ensure that the modernisation of the existing terminal is completed to truly world-class standards. He said there should be no compromise on quality and that passengers should experience a dramatically transformed airport within a year.

“The plans look excellent, but projects should not remain good only on presentation screens. The airport must be developed exactly as it has been envisioned and presented,” Fadnavis said.

The Chief Minister also took exception to the proposed 2030 completion timeline shown during the presentation and called for faster execution. “Our present tenure ends in 2029. We do not want to see this airport in our next incarnation; we want to see it completed during our lifetime and within our tenure,” he remarked, drawing applause from the audience.

Fadnavis said Nagpur’s central location makes it a natural aviation and logistics hub and revealed that the state government is exploring the establishment of a Free Trade Zone linked to MRO activities to attract aircraft maintenance business from across Southeast Asia. He said the airport would serve as a catalyst for investment, employment generation, cargo growth and overall economic development in the region.

Gadkari recalls long journey, highlights potential

Gadkari recalled the long and challenging journey of the airport project, which had faced multiple legal disputes and administrative hurdles over the years. He credited the Centre and State Governments for resolving the issues and ensuring the project’s implementation.

Gadkari said Nagpur enjoys a unique geographical advantage as the centre of India, with Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata all located within a short flying distance. He noted that the city is rapidly emerging as the country’s logistics capital, supported by world-class highways, rail connectivity, metro infrastructure and the success of the MIHAN project.

The Union Minister highlighted that nearly 75 per cent of Maharashtra’s mineral wealth is concentrated in Vidarbha and said the region is witnessing large-scale industrial investments, including major manufacturing and infrastructure projects expected to generate substantial economic activity in the coming years.

He also pointed to Nagpur’s growing aviation ecosystem, which now includes aircraft maintenance facilities, aviation-focused engineering education institutions and aerospace manufacturing units producing components for global aviation companies.

Recalling the origins of the MIHAN project, Gadkari said the vision of developing Nagpur as an international passenger and cargo hub was first conceptualised in the mid-1990s. Despite facing opposition and legal challenges, the project has evolved into one of central India’s largest economic success stories, generating employment for over one lakh people and attracting leading IT, aerospace and manufacturing companies.

Gadkari urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to introduce direct international flights from Nagpur to destinations such as Singapore and Dubai, saying such connectivity would benefit passengers across Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh while strengthening Nagpur’s position as a gateway to Southeast Asia, Europe and North America.

GMR reaffirms commitment

GMR Airports Chairman G.B.S. Raju reaffirmed the company’s commitment to delivering a world-class airport for Nagpur and said the redevelopment project would be executed with a focus on passenger experience, operational efficiency and future growth requirements.

With the formal transfer process now completed, the long-awaited modernisation of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport is set to begin, marking what leaders across party lines described as a historic milestone in Nagpur’s journey toward becoming one of India’s most important aviation, logistics and economic hubs. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)