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Nagpur: MIHAN India Ltd. (MIL), a joint venture of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) and Airports Authority of India (AAI) with 51% and 49% stakes respectively which has been operating Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur, intended to upgrade and modernize this airport by appointing a strategic partner. For this purpose, MIL had published Request for Qualification (RFQ) document in the month of May 2016 and 6 applicants, viz. (1) GVK Airport Developers Ltd., (2) PNC Infratech Ltd. (3) Tata Reality and Infrastructure Ltd., (4) GMR Airports Ltd., (5) Essel Infra Project Ltd., and (6) IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd. had submitted their documents in the month of October, 2016. After preliminary scrutiny, 5 applicants, viz. (1) GVK Airport Developers Ltd., (2) PNC Infratech Ltd. (3) Tata Reality and Infrastructure Ltd., (4) GMR Airports Ltd., and (5) Essel Infra Project Ltd., were found eligible and their documents were submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs for obtaining security clearance.
During the Board Meeting of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) held in Mumbai on 31st March, 2017 under the chairmanship of Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the Chairman of MADC Board of Directors, was informed by Vishwas Patil, VCMD, MADC and CMD, MIL, that the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, has cleared the proposal submitted by MIL seeking security clearance of 5 applicants who had submitted their RFQ documents and which was published by MIL for upgradation, modernization, operation and maintenance of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur, on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model through Public Private Participation (PPP) basis. Hon’ble Chief Minister congratulated MIL and asked them to expedite the bidding process of RFP.
Further, during the said Board meeting, the proposal of MIL seeking grant of Rs. 7 crore for expansion of the existing Code-C Parking Bay to cater to Code-E Types of Aircrafts such as B-777, B-747 was considered by the Board. The Board members were informed that MIL has received request from Air India for such bigger parking bays at Nagpur Airport, especially in view of the fact that Air India is utilizing its MRO located adjacent to the existing airport for carrying out maintenance of its B-777 aircraft and also that Air India intends to start both domestic and international flights using its B-777 aircrafts from Nagpur. It was further informed that Air India intends to connect Nagpur with South Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, etc.
The Chief Minister opined that with the provision of such parking bays to accommodate bigger aircraft, Nagpur Airport will be able to cater bigger aircraft not only of Air India but all such airlines which intend to operate using bigger aircrafts from Nagpur thereby bringing Nagpur Airport on the Global Aviation Map.
Considering all the above facts, the Board of MADC approved grant of Rs. 7 crore towards expansion of existing parking bays and instructed the officials to expedite this work. Vishwas Patil appraised the Chief Minister and other Board Members of MADC that Nagpur Airport has been witnessing passenger growth of about 18-20% since last two financial years and in the financial year 2015-16, total passenger through-put crossed 1.5 million mark due to which the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) has, in the month of October, 2016, notified Nagpur Airport as one of the major airports of India. He further apprised that an additional cargo space has been created to meet the immediate future demand of cargo. A cold storage facility has also been created for the export of perishable fruits and vegetables and upon clearance from the Customs Department, it will become operational.
