Nagpur: At least 20 months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held the groundbreaking ceremony for expansion and modernisation of Nagpur airport, the Union Cabinet chaired by him cleared the final administrative hurdle on Wednesday to allow the GMR Group to take over operations of the brownfield airport in a public-private partnership model. The decision brings much-needed clarity to a project set to be a gamechanger for the region with GMR expected to pump in Rs 7,000 crore for the airport's development.
The Cabinet approved extension of Airports Authority of India's (AAI) land lease to MIHAN India Limited beyond Aug 6, 2039, enabling the joint venture company to grant a 30-year concession to GMR Nagpur International Airport Limited (GNAIL) from the commercial operation date. The move effectively ends a prolonged legal and policy battle that stalled one of central India's most ambitious infrastructure projects for more than six years.
The approval is expected to revive the 30-year-old vision of the Multi-Modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur, or MIHAN, which was conceived as an integrated aviation and logistics centre to transform Nagpur into a strategic passenger and cargo gateway.
An elated Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis welcomed the Union cabinet decision, describing it as a turning point for the city's infrastructure ambitions. "Only a few clearances were pending for the airport transfer. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Cabinet for approving the project today. We will build a world-class airport in Nagpur," he told reporters.
Nagpur airport director Abid Ruhi said the Centre's approval would significantly accelerate the city's long-term economic development. "GMR will not only renovate the existing airport but also build a new international-standard terminal. It will construct a second runway and provide facilities comparable to top airports. The second runway will strengthen Nagpur's ambition of becoming a logistics capital," he said. Nagpur currently operates only two international flights despite its designation as an international airport.
14/05/2026 Times of India
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