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S. Shanker

Mumbai, Oct. 2 The Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport will get a second runway only when passenger traffic touches 20 million per annum.

Mr Kamesh Rao, Vice-President (Airport Development and Engineering), GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, said that would take some time as the Rs 2,920-crore airport was equipped to handle 12 million passengers per annum and as per current estimates, passenger traffic could be no more than 8 million this year. “Our main obligation is to ensure that the airport’s service quality is maintained at 3.5 on a scale of five.”

GHIAL is a public-private joint venture between GMR Group, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad, the Andhra Pradesh Government and the Airports Authority of India. The GMR Group holds 63 per cent equity, MAHB 11 per cent and the state government and the Airports Authority of India 13 per cent each.

Mr Rao said the airport was on 5,400 acres and will ultimately be equipped to handle over 40 million passengers per annum, besides being designed to handle large aircraft, including the Airbus A380.

The airport’s design permits incremental expansion of each area, without major rebuilding or operational disruption. Subsequent development would be determined by the actual increase in traffic volume.

Speaking on non-aero development across a 1,000-acre spread adjacent to the airport, Mr Rao said a 305-room Novotel hotel built there had opted for a soft launch and its current facilities qualified it for rating between four and five star.

The master plan for non-aero space also comprised two special economic zones on 250 acres each — one in aero space and the other a multi-product.

The developmental plan of these two SEZs was expected to be completed by end of the current financial year and the construction phase would be taken up next year. The remaining area would be used for creating an aerotropolis — the concept of building a city around the airport.

The airport has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design New Construction silver rating by the US Green Building Council.

It is said to be one of the few airports in the world to achieve the green status and the first in Asia. The Delta Terminal ‘A’ Redevelopment, East Boston, and Signature Logan Terminal, East Boston, are the other two to be awarded the green certification.

The focus on going green has brought about a savings of 25 per cent in energy and 30 per cent in water, he said. This is besides 100 per cent rainwater harvesting, grey water recycling and use of efficient chillers, lighting controls and a light power density of 0.9 watt per sq ft as against the norm of 1.3 watt/sq ft.

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