Centre clears the air; Begumpet airport to be closed

Hyderabad: Clearing the air of uncertainty, the Civil Aviation Ministry issued a notification on Tuesday confirming the closure of commercial operations from Begumpet airport and commencement of flights from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad on March 16.
The notification, which is in pursuance of the concession agreement signed between the Government of India and the GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHAIL) in December 2004, was issued hours ahead of the strike by airport employees demanding retention of the existing airports in Hyderabad and Bangalore for commercial operations.
A Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt will touch down at Shamshabad at 0025 on Sunday marking full-fledged launch of commercial operations from the Greenfield airport. GHAIL said it has also received the aerodrome licence, clearance for operation of fire fighting systems, environmental clearance from the A. P. Pollution Control Board and permission to serve as a notified customs zone.
At Shamshabad, about 30 km from Hyderabad, GHAIL is all set to receive UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for the inauguration on March 14 and for operation of flights two days later.
12/03/08 The Hindu

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Airports Mar 2008