Nagpur: Boeing has finally started building the much-touted $100 million dollar maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) depot at Mihan-SEZ. However, unlike general perception, it won't exactly be a Boeing MRO at Nagpur. In a change from the earlier plan of running the facility in a joint venture with Air India, now the aircraft giant will only build the infrastructure. Once the MRO is built and ready, Air India will take over to run the show.
In an e-mail reply to TOI's query, Air India said at the time of purchasing 68 aircraft from Boeing, the aircraft-maker undertook a commitment to invest up to $100 million for establishing a MRO facility in India. Initially, a joint venture was planned between Boeing and Air India, which was later transformed into the present arrangement.
Now, Boeing will finance, construct and establish the MRO, while Air India will operate the same. The work is in progress and expected to be completed by 2013. After this, the MRO will be able to take the work of Air India as well as other airlines.
The Air India spokesperson told TOI that the deal was renegotiated as it was more profitable for the national carrier to run the MRO on its own. The MRO will be carved out as a separate subsidiary of the company, hiving off the airline's maintenance and engineering department into the new entity. A cabinet note in this regard has already been prepared by the ministry of civil aviation.
14/06/11 Shishir Arya/Times of India
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