Airport developer GMR Airports Limited took over the operations of Nagpur’s Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport on Friday.

“The first phase will focus on expanding the passenger terminal to accommodate three million travelers annually, ensuring a seamless and efficient travel experience,” Chairman, GMR Airports, GBS Raju was quoted in a press statement.

Future phases aim to raise the airport’s capacity to serve up to 30 million passengers annually, backed by extensive airside infrastructure upgrades, including the construction of a new Air Traffic Control tower.

The airport will feature a state-of-the-art cargo terminal with an annual handling capacity of 20,000 metric tonnes.

GMR Nagpur International Airport Ltd. (GNIAL) signed a 30-year concession agreement in November 2024 with MIHAN India Ltd. (MIL)—a joint venture between the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd. (MADC)—to operate, manage, develop and modernise the airport. The agreement followed a prolonged legal battle over the airport’s privatisation after the 2018 global tender, with the dispute eventually being settled by the Supreme Court.

GMR AERO now has nine airports under operations or under development. It operates seven airports in India and abroad, including Delhi, Hyderabad, Goa (Mopa), Nagpur, Bidar, Medan (Indonesia), and extends technical support for Mactan Cebu (Philippines) and is also developing two greenfield airports in Bhogapuram (Andhra Pradesh) and in Crete (Greece).