Nagpur: More than a year after the much-publicised bhoomipujan ceremony led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ambitious expansion of Nagpur’s Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport remains stuck in bureaucratic limbo, with no visible construction or infrastructure activity on the ground.
The delay has triggered growing concern among industry leaders and economic forums in Vidarbha, who warn that prolonged inaction could derail the larger vision of transforming Nagpur into a major aviation and logistics hub under the Multi modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) project.
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Apr 06,2026 - Time 10.30Hrs
Project stuck despite groundbreaking
The modernisation and expansion project, which is expected to be executed by GMR Airports Limited, was envisioned as a major upgrade to the city’s aviation infrastructure, including expansion of passenger facilities, improved cargo handling and upgraded airside infrastructure. However, despite the ceremonial launch and repeated assurances from authorities, the project has failed to move beyond paperwork.
Officials and aviation experts point out that the primary hurdle is the pending approval from the Union Cabinet required for transferring operational control of the airport to the private operator. Without this clearance, the handover process cannot proceed, effectively freezing the expansion plans.
The airport is currently managed by MIHAN India Limited, a joint venture of the Airports Authority of India and Maharashtra Airport Development Company. Under the proposed arrangement, the airport land must first be formally transferred to MIHAN India Limited and subsequently leased to the GMR-led joint venture for a 30-year concession period.
Land and lease complications
The project’s progress has been further slowed by complex land ownership issues and administrative procedures. The airport land currently belongs to the Airports Authority of India, and the lease extension required to enable its transfer has yet to receive final approval from the Union government.
Additionally, some parcels of land in nearby areas earmarked for airport expansion remain under encroachment, adding another layer of delay to the process. Clearing and transferring this land is considered essential before the expansion can proceed.
Economic stakes for Vidarbha
The airport modernisation is seen as a key driver for regional economic growth, particularly for the MIHAN project, which aims to leverage Nagpur’s central location to create a major cargo and logistics hub integrated with rail and road networks.
Industry bodies such as the Vidarbha Economic Development Council have repeatedly urged the government to expedite approvals, warning that the prolonged delay is affecting investor confidence and slowing industrial momentum in the region.
Experts note that once operational under private management, the airport could attract more domestic and international airlines, expand cargo operations and significantly boost connectivity for central India.
A stalled vision
At present, the airport handles nearly 2.9 million passengers annually and serves as a key aviation gateway for central India. However, without the proposed expansion and modernisation, its growth potential remains constrained.
For Nagpur and the wider Vidarbha region, the stalled airport project has increasingly come to symbolise a larger problem, ambitious development announcements that struggle to move beyond the stage of ceremonial launches.
Unless urgent intervention resolves the approval and land transfer hurdles, the long-awaited transformation of Nagpur’s airport, and with it, the broader aspirations of MIHAN, risks remaining grounded indefinitely.
