Nagpur Airport declared "International Airport" & renamed as "Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar International Airport"
The
Union Cabinet today has approved the declaration of the existing airport at
Nagpur as an "International Airport" and renaming of the Nagpur
Airport as "Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar International
Airport"
The
Government of Maharashtra has proposed to develop a world classMulti-modal
International Passenger & Cargo Hub Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) integrated
with the existing Nagpur airport. A high level Steering Committee was
constituted for this project, where the representatives of Ministry of Civil
Aviation and Airports Authority of India were also members. Under the
guidance of the Steering Committee, Maharashtra State Road Development
Corporation (MSRDC), the nodal agency for the project, appointed a Consortium
of internationally reputed Consultants led by M/s. L&T Ramboll Consulting
Engineers Ltd., Chennai for Techno-Economic-Feasibility Study (TEFS) for this
project. The consultants after the study have recommended that
considering the potential demand for passenger and cargo traffic, particularly
the transiting traffic between South East Asia and Europe, a world class
International Hub Airport should be set up at Nagpur by integrating/upgrading
the existing airport. The TEFS has indicated that the project could be
financially viable and induce considerable development in Central India,
particularly, in Vidarbha Region. Ever since, there have been consistent
demands from parliamentarians and general public of Maharashtra and
neighbouring places to declare Nagpur airport as an International airport.
The
basic premises of Maharashtra Government to create an aviation hub at Nagpur
are that about 400 aircraft over fly over Nagpur, which is the centre of the
country. Their contention is that creation of infrastructure will
automatically create air traffic. Maharashtra Government also wants to
convert industrial estate of Butibori into Special Economic Zone for which
requirement of an international airport is essential. Declaring the
airport as international is expected to help in developing tourism and
international trade in the region as well as enable optimum utilization of the
airport.
The
existing Nagpur airport belongs to Airports Author of India (AAI). AAI
has recently developed runway and associated pavements for B-747
operation. The airport has a new passenger terminal building complex
suitable to handle 650 passengers at a time. International Haj flights
have also been operating from this airport during the last two years.
Nagpur has been designated as one of the embarkation points for Haj pilgrims.
Declaration
of an airport as international depends upon traffic potential and demand from
airlines for operation of international flights. The following facilities
at domestic airport are considered sufficient for declaring a domestic airport
as 'International airport'.
(i) Runway length should be 9000 feet to cater to medium capacity
long-range aircraft (MCLR e.g B-767) or equivalent type of aircraft, as these
aircraft constitute majority of aircraft used in international operations.
(ii) Availability of Ground
Landing Facilities, Instrument Landing System for operation of aircrafts at
night.
(iii) Requirement/demand from
Scheduled National/International Airline Operators.
iv) Availability of Customs, Immigration, Health, animal and plan
quarantine services.
v) Bilateral agreement between the States (Nations) or it may be
offered a point of call to foreign carriers for operations.
Renaming the existing airport of
Nagpur including the MIHAN project after the name of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, has
also been a long-standing request of the parliamentarians and the general
public of Maharashtra. Considering this and in view of the contribution
of Shri Ambedkar to Indian polity and the Constitution, the decision of
renaming the Nagpur has been taken today.
MC/GK
(Release ID :8460)