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| Rajiv Gandhi International Airport to set up Centre for Perishable Cargo |
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15,000 tonne facility to handle fruits, vegetables and biological & pharma products |
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The GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited has decided to set up a world-class centre for perishable cargo at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA).
Being at the geographical centre of India, Hyderabad offers a great advantage for logistics movements of perishable cargo both within India and connecting South East Asia and Middle East, Europe and USA.
“Infrastructure is the key to economic development and we are confident that our proposed Centre for Perishable Cargo (CPC) at Hyderabad would give a great boost to the movement of perishables and will boost the horticulture activity of Andhra Pradesh and South India in particular and also at a National level in general and greatly benefit the farmers and make them more competitive in the present WTO (World Trade Organization) regime,” says Viswanath Attaluri, Chief Commercial Officer, GHIAL.
The Centre for Perishable Cargo will be designed to handle 15,000 tonnes per annum of perishable cargo under Phase I (up to 2011) and the capacity will be raised to 25,000 tonnes per annum under Phase II (2013-2014).
The projected investment for phase I of the project will be Rs 40 crores with a subsidy component from APEDA (The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) and investment by GHIAL to cover for land cost and infrastructural facilities like roads, freighter bay and 3 acres of land. The GHIAL will invest a further amount of Rs 10 crores in Phase II.
Andhra Pradesh is a leading producer of fruits and vegetables with a production volume of an estimated 10.50 million tonnes per annum. Mango is one of our prestigious products, which is accepted worldwide, along with a host of world class fruits like Thomson seedless grapes, pomegranates, sapota, papaya, custard apple, water melons, bananas and a whole range of vegetables.
The GHIAL has assessed that there is a potential for exports of up to 5,000 tonnes of produce in the near future. The retail industry also has a good demand for imported fruits and vegetables for keeping attractive products in their shelves all year round.
Hyderabad is also the established pharmaceutical and biological products hub of India, being the base for world renowned companies like Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Shantha Biotechnics, Bharat Biotech, Biological E, Indian Immunological etc. There is a potential for import/ export of 3,000 tonnes per annum in this field. In addition to these there is demand for low temperature storage from World class Research labs like CCMB, IICT, and various electronic and Defense labs etc
There is also considerable movement of 1-day old chicks, hatching eggs, and livestock products from Hyderabad upto the extent of 1,000 tonnes per annum.
“Air transportation and effective clearance at the Centre of Perishable Cargo at RGIA will offer a good opportunity for the trade in perishables. The proposed Centre for Perishable Cargo at airport will bring Hyderabad into centre stage of trade for perishables,” Mr. Viswanath Attaluri, Chief Commercial Officer, GHIAL adds.
The Air Cargo Complex at the RGIA currently has a capacity to handle 100,000 tonnes per annum of cargo. The ultimate cargo handling capacity will be 1.3 million tonnes per annum. The RGIA has dedicated cargo apron facilities both for handling regular and freighter operations with four code ‘C’ freighter aircraft. The RGIA, Hyderabad, is centrally located with two hours’ flying time from all major cities in India and 3 - 5 hours’ from all South -East Asian countries.
About GHIAL:
GMR-HIAL is a joint venture company promoted by GMR Infrastructure Ltd., (63%); Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad (11%), Airports Authority of India (13%) and Government of Andhra Pradesh (13%), with a mandate to develop a world-class international grade airport spread over 5,500 acres in Shamshabad, about 25 kms from the main city of Hyderabad.
This project - Rajiv Gandhi International Airport – is set to position Hyderabad as a prominent player in the global aviation map contributing to the prosperity, development and economic well-being of the region.
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Hyderabad - A Natural Hub |
| Hyderabad's geographic location makes it a strategic hub for domestic and international air traffic. |
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A model in public-private participation |
| The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is a model public-private partnership project that will set benchmarks for future initiatives in infrastructure development. |
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