Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport (NAG, VANP), Nagpur, Maharashtra, India

Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, which is also known as Sonegaon Airport, is the main domestic and international airport serving the city of Nagpur in the Maharashtra district of India. The public airport is managed and operated by the Airports Authority of India and was named after the famous Indian economist and politician Bhimrao Babasaheb Ambedkar.

The airport has a strategic position in a prosperous region of central India and because of this is now the subject of a major multimodal development plan called the multi-modal international cargo hub and airport at Nagpur (MIHAN). The plan aims to develop the airport as a major international passenger and cargo hub and to encourage a new economy to be developed around the airport.

The airport currently has two runways, the 09/27 (6,358ft, 1,938m) and the 14/32 (10,500ft, 3,200m), the latter of which is set to be extended as part of the MIHAN from 3,200m × 45m to 3,600m × 60m to allow the landing of larger wide-bodied aircraft particularly for cargo operations.

There will be apron parking for 50 aircraft at any one time and provision is being made for the future construction of a new 4,000m × 60m runway in a future phase.

MIHAN

The multi-modal international cargo hub and airport at Nagpur is one of the largest economic development projects underway in India at the current time (mid-2008). A consortium led by M/s L and T Ramboll Consulting Engineers was asked to undertake a techno-economic-feasibility study (TEFS) for the project in 2004-2005 (the study supported the project).

The project has been designed to make the most of the central location of Nagpur and to convert the current airport into a major cargo hub with multi-modal integrated road and rail systems. The project consists of two parts: the international airport acting as a new cargo hub and also a special economic zone of 2,086ha with an accompanying residential zone covering a total area of 40.25km² on the southern end of the city of Nagpur adjacent to the airport.

The Government of Maharashtra formed a special purpose entity called the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) to mediate in the development of the MIHAN.

The project has been financed by a number of Indian banks with a total loan amount of Rs7bn as well as investment from the state government and the Airports Authority of India. The projected target for the airport will be to serve 14 million passengers and handle 0.87 million tons of cargo by 2025 (handling 50 aircraft a day).

The MIHAN is causing a stir in Nagpur with property prices increasing proportionately and six new shopping malls are being planned.

MIHAN projects

The water supply and sewage system for the SEZ is being constructed by M/s Kirloskar Consultants and M/s Nagarjuna Construction Co and is expected to be completed in January 2009 at a cost of Rs202 crore. The road network is being constructed by M/s SPAN Consultants and M/s PBA Sadbhav joint venture and will be completed in December 2008 at a cost of Rs143 crore. The rail bridge and interchange was completed in June 2008 at a cost of Rs69 crore by M/s Consulting Engineering Services India and M/s AFCONS Infrastructure.

The storm water system was completed by M/s SPAN Consultants and M/s PBA Infrastructure in March 2008 and the power infrastructure was installed by Mott MacDonald and Jyoti Structures in April 2008. The project central facility building was completed in July 2008 by Larsen & Toubro (ECC Division) and Shapoorji Palloonji & Co. The fire station was completed in March 2008 by Prasad & Associates and Yeses Infrastructure.

Terminal expansion

One of the major projects at the airport at the current time is the expansion of the terminal building (investment Rs79 crore) which has floor space of 10,000m² by the addition of a new 7,500m² section to give a more rectangular shape (17,500m²) and allow the processing of 400 domestic passengers at any one time and 150 international passengers.

The new terminal section is a steel and glass structure which, when opened in April 2008, introduced a range of modern equipment such as central air-conditioning, passenger boarding bridges with visual docking guidance system, escalators, lifts, baggage conveyor system in arrivals as well as departure hall, CCTV and FIDS.

In addition the terminal now has 20 check-in counters and 20 immigration counters and new facilities such as a state-of-the-art 24-hour medical centre, air-conditioned bus service (Vansh Nimaya Infraprojects), 600-space car park, new pre-paid taxi service, a viewing gallery in the old section of the terminal, duty free shop, internet cafe, new restaurant and food court and two new height-adjustable aerobridges (operational in July 2008).

Additional plans

The Airport Authority of India is also constructing a new link / approach road to the airport from the main highway. There will also be an improvement in the ATM and communication, navigation facilities at the airport. There are plans for a new control tower and technical block with all modern facilities.

In July 2008 Deccan Cargo Private announced it would invest in a 48-acre cargo facility at the airport as part of the MIHAN project. The major US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has also announced an investment of $185m in setting up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility and an aeronautical training institute over 75 acres at the airport.