"India: Hyderabad's futuristic airport to be ready by year-end"

Thursday, August 23, 2007 

Hyderabad's futuristic airport to be ready by year-end
Indo-Asian News Service (IANS)

 
HYDERABAD - Hyderabad's new international airport which promises to take
Indian airports to a new era will be ready by year-end and become
operational in March 2008.

The Rs24.78bn ($601mn) Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, which
incorporates the best of facilities in Oslo, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and
Singapore airports is coming up in Shamshabad, about 25km from here on the
Hyderabad-Bangalore national highway.

Flight trials are likely to begin in January and the first commercial flight
is scheduled to take off in March, a month before the opening of the new
international airport in Bangalore, its competitor.

"About 78% of the work has already been completed. All the civil work will
be completed by year-end," said T Srinagesh, chief operating officer of
promoters GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL). Hundreds of
workers are working round-the-clock to give final shape to the futuristic
airport, which is expected to make Hyderabad a transit hub between Europe
and Southeast Asia.

The GHIAL is a joint venture of the GMR Group (63%), the Malaysia Airports
Holding Berhad (11%), the Airports Authority of India (13%) and the Andhra
Pradesh government (13%).

The first phase of the airport will be able to handle 12mn passengers per
annum (mppa) against 5.95 mppa handled by the existing airport and more than
100,000 tonnes of cargo per annum against 45,000 tonnes handled by the
existing facility. The ultimate capacity of the new airport is over 40 mppa
and 1mn tonnes of cargo per annum.

The success of the project will be crucial for many other airports planned
in public-private partnership.

The 4,260m-long runway, India's longest for civil aviation, which is A380
aircraft compatible, is already complete, as is the equally long parallel
taxiway that can also be used for emergency take-offs.

Work on a seven-storeyed passenger terminal building being built by the
China State Construction Engineering (Hong Kong) and spread over 100,000sq m
is nearing completion.

The 42 parking bays, cargo building, apron and fuel farm are also on
schedule.

The 70m-tall Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower has been completed and the
Airports Authority of India has started installing their equipment.

"By November or December, the ATC tower will be handed over to the AAI,"
Srinagesh said.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has already started
inspecting the facilities to ensure that they are compatible with its
international standards.

"Once the ICAO endorses the facilities, it becomes easy for us to get
certification from the Director General of Civil Aviation," the official
said.

An agreement has already been entered into with Munich Airport to shift the
entire operations from the existing airport in Begumpet in the heart of
Hyderabad to the new airport.

"They are experts in transferring operations from one airport to the other.

They have done this in Kuala Lumpur, Madrid and Athens," Srinagesh said.

The Shamshabad airport promises a new refreshing experience for air
travellers, who often complain about poor facilities at India airports.

"You will see a change in ambience." he said.

The airport will have 60 check-in-counters with Common User Terminal
Equipment (CUTE) and 16 self check-in kiosks. The 2,500sq m complex will
also have 12 contact boarding bridges, 45 immigration counters and extensive
retail and shopping outlets.

The other special features include fuel supply system on open access basis,
an airport village and a business hotel of 308 rooms near the passenger
terminal building.

The GHIAL can use 1,000 acres out a total 5,400 acres, for commercial
developments. Future plans include a luxury hotel and convention centre, a
railway station and shopping malls.

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