Changi to develop Nagpur airport

Singapore-based Changi Airport will be the consultants for the development of the airport at the Multi-nodal International Cargo Hub and Airport Project at Nagpur (MIHAN).

Changi airport handles more than 43 million passengers annually and has never failed to get 'deficiency free' certification from the International Federation of Airline Pilot Association since it become operational in 1981.

The MIHAN project, which will consist of an airport, a SEZ and a rail and road terminal, will be spread over 3600 hectares. The airport will be spread over 1200 hectares.

The Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd (MADC), which is developing MIHAN project, recently signed an MoU with Changi Airport authorities and officials from Changi airport will be visiting next week, the Managing Director of MADC R C Sinha said.

The project consists of widening the existing runway from 3,200 x 45 metres to 4,000 x 60 metres to meet the international standards with a provision for developing another runway of the same size. The project is estimated to cost around Rs 2,500 crore.

Once fully developed, the airport will have space for 50 aircraft at one time and 50 more on the fringe areas. Besides, the airport will have a maintenance repairs and overhaul (MRO) base for which the MADC has signed an MoU with Boeing, who will be setting up their MRO for south Asia at Nagpur with investment of $100 million.

"After we receive the report from our consultants, we will go for international bidding and joint venture company will be formed between successful bidder and MADC to execute the project", said Sinha.

The MADC also signed a MoU with Singapore-based Sical Logistics Sdn to develop the rail and road terminus at MIHAN on a build operate own and transfer (BOOT) basis. Sical logistics is expected to invest around Rs 90 crore in the project.

The rail and road terminus project will be spread over 200 hectares.