The GMR Group is set to take over Nagpur Airport within approximately two weeks. The company plans to renovate the existing terminal and commence construction of a new modular terminal designed for phased expansion to ultimately handle 3 crore passengers annually. As passenger traffic and associated aviation activities grow, a second runway will be added within eight years to manage peak capacity.
GMR Chairman Shares Plans
In an exclusive interview with TOI, GMR Airports Chairman GBS Raju stated: 'We want to take over the airport at the earliest. The immediate task is to completely renovate the existing terminal. Designs are ready, and our 140 people are already working on site. We have achieved financial closure for the airport and will build a new integrated domestic-cum-international terminal, which will take about 36 months from the start of work.'
Current Status and Future Vision
According to the GMR website, Nagpur Airport, with an annual capacity of 40 lakh passengers, handled 25 lakh passengers in FY26, connecting to over 15 destinations and managing over eight million tonnes of cargo. The group will present its plans to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who hails from Nagpur and desires a world-class airport for the city. Raju is optimistic about Nagpur Airport's potential for both passenger traffic and the aviation ecosystem. Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) major Indamer Technics, recently acquired by the Adani Group, operates from Nagpur and services aircraft from multiple airlines, including IndiGo.
'Nagpur will become another Atlanta in the long term. Just as FedEx transformed the Dallas-Fort Worth area into a critical logistics hub, the same will happen at Nagpur. Most metro airports in India will face night parking issues within five years. Nagpur will be crucial for first flights of the day from nearby metros. That is our positioning for Nagpur in terms of passenger and cargo traffic. Nagpur is a logistical hub and will be a game changer for everyone,' Raju said.
'Several aviation majors like Safran are working closely with Indian defence companies to set up component manufacturing units. Nagpur is well positioned for that due to its existing ecosystem,' he added.
Government Support
The GMR Group shared its plans after the Union Cabinet earlier this month approved extending the lease period of Airports Authority of India (AAI) land leased to MIHAN, enabling MIHAN to license Nagpur Airport to concessionaire GMR Nagpur International Airport Ltd (GNIAL) for 30 years.
'With the extension of the lease period, it will become co-terminus with the 30-year concession period of GNIAl. This is expected to usher in a new era of growth and infrastructure advancement for Nagpur Airport. With private sector efficiency and government oversight, the airport is poised to see significant investment, modernisation, and improved passenger and cargo services,' a government statement said on May 13 when the Cabinet decision was taken.
'GNIAL will take up the transformation of Nagpur's Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport into a world-class facility with phased development envisaged to reach an ultimate capacity of handling three crore passengers annually, positioning it as a key airport in central India,' the May 13 government statement added.
