The third party maintenance, repair & overhaul (MRO) facility coming up at the proposed GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) will be the driving force for aviation business at Hyderabad, claims T Srinagesh, chief operating officer of the company.
Speaking to a select media here on Wednesday, Srinagesh said, “we are aspiring that Hyderabad become the ‘aviation hub’ at the earliest and in that direction the company is working along with the government.” The company is planning to establish a training centre near the airport to impart training to the young engineers on aviation related trades, which may even be upgraded as a University at a later date, he pointed out.
This apart, the MRO facility, with heavy maintenance (D checks) facility, would further attract more airlines into the airport. As of now, about 10 airlines operate from the existing Begumpet airport and this will increase.
Revealing that the state government has provided VAT exemptions for the first five years operations to the MRO project, Srinagesh said that the civil works have already commenced at the site by Lufthansa Technik. GHIAL has 24.5% stake in the MRO business, while the remaining is held by Lufthansa Technik AG. The initial investment is estimated at Rs 100 crore to establish two bay narrow body hangar with subsequent modular expansion to include single bay wide body hangar.
This apart, GHIAL has also awarded concession agreement for the MRO facility to a joint venture of Indian Airlines & Air India.
On the works front, Srinagesh said that about 78% of the airport work has already completed and the trail run will commence in end of December 2007. The company has also obtained space at the Paryatan Bhavan to operate ‘city check-in’ service, he added.