GMR Airports takes over Nagpur airport operations, expands portfolio to nine airports
New Delhi, June 26 (TNT): GMR Airports Limited (GMR AERO) on Friday said it has taken over the operations of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur, further expanding its airport portfolio and strengthening its position as India’s leading private airport operator.
The company assumed operational control of the airport on June 25 under a 30-year concession, marking another milestone in its efforts to develop world-class aviation infrastructure and improve regional connectivity.
With the addition of Nagpur, GMR Airports now has nine airports under operation or development. The company operates airports at Delhi, Hyderabad, Goa (Mopa), Nagpur, Bidar and Medan (Indonesia), provides technical services to Mactan-Cebu International Airport in the Philippines, and is developing greenfield airports at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh and Crete in Greece.
Strategically located at the geographical centre of the country, Nagpur is expected to emerge as a major aviation, cargo and logistics hub. Under the concession agreement, GMR Nagpur International Airport Limited (GNIAL) will undertake phased modernisation and expansion of the airport, including the development of a modern integrated passenger terminal, expansion of airside infrastructure, enhanced cargo facilities, adoption of digital technologies and sustainability-focused initiatives.
The company said the long-term plan is to increase the airport’s capacity to handle up to 30 million passengers annually, while creating a future-ready aviation ecosystem.
The development is aligned with the Government of India’s vision of strengthening regional air connectivity and establishing Nagpur as a hub-and-spoke aviation centre for Central India, supporting passenger traffic as well as cargo movement, logistics, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), trade and industrial growth.
Commenting on the development, GBS Raju, Chairman of GMR Airports, said the first phase of development would focus on expanding the passenger terminal to handle three million passengers annually, followed by subsequent phases aimed at increasing the capacity to 30 million passengers. He said the project would also include a new Air Traffic Control tower and a state-of-the-art cargo terminal capable of handling 20,000 metric tonnes annually.
The company said the modernisation of Nagpur Airport is expected to generate significant socio-economic benefits by improving domestic and international connectivity, promoting tourism, attracting investments and creating direct and indirect employment opportunities. It will also strengthen Nagpur’s emergence as a multimodal logistics and industrial hub.
TNT KS
