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K.V. Kurmanath

Hyderabad, Aug. 2 With the deadline for shifting of commercial operations to the Greenfield Shamshabad airport fast approaching, the GHIAL is taking its Board of Directors and some top State Government officials on a trip to a few European airports to have a feel of the issues and challenges in running world-class airports.

A batch of directors had already toured the airports last month.

“Another batch left on Wednesday. This time senior Government officials from the committee on airports are part of the contingent,” a GHIAL (GMR International Airport) executive told Business Line.

The Rs 2,478-crore GHIAL is being taken up through public-private partnership, with State and Central governments (Centre through Airports Authority of India), holding 13 per cent each.

The GMR held 63 per cent and Malaysian Airports Holdings Berhad secured the remaining 11 per cent.

The commercial operations at the current airport at Begumpet would come to an end in March 2008 and will shift to the new airport, without any pause in air traffic movements.

“The idea behind taking the officials to the top-class airports is to study issues and challenges faced by these airports,” he said.

The team, which included Mr Bhanu, Special Secretary in the CMO, and Mr Brahmananda Reddy (Special Secretary – Transport, Roads and Buildings), is scheduled to visit Munich, Athens and Copenhagen airports in the next few days.

Some of the officials are also on the board of GHIAL.

“The European airports have emerged as role models. The team will look into various aspects that made them aviation hubs. It will also look into the features and facilities that made them world-class airports. They will assess the features that could be emulated in our environment,” he said.

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GHIAL sends team to top EU airports

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