International airport to become operational by 2008, says CM

The Rs 1,400-crore international airport at Shamshabad is likely to become operational by 2008. Chief minister, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, said that within the next ten days the concessional agreement would be signed.

"The financial closure will take about three months and after about 33 months the airport will become functional," he added.

The airport is to be developed under a joint venture with 26 per cent equity participation by the state and the central governments. The GMR-MAHB consortium "� the private developer of the project "� would hold the remaining 74 per cent.

The airport would have an initial capacity of 50 lakh passengers and one lakh metric tonne of cargo handling facility.

About 3,367 acres of private land and 1,909 acres of government land have been acquired for developing the airport.

A 4,260-metre long and 60-metre wide runway is also being planned for the project.