Notification ahead of the strike by airport employees demanding retention
Hyderabad, March 11, 2008The Civil Aviation Ministry issued a notification on Tuesday confirming the closure of Begampet Airport and commencement of flights from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad on March 16. The notification that is in pursuance of the concession agreement signed between the Government of India and GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited in December 2004 was issued hours ahead of 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 hours on Sunday marking full fledged launch of commercial operations from the Greenfield airport. GHAIL said that it has also received the aerodrome licence, clearance for operation of fire fighting systems, environmental clearance from the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board and permission to serve as a notified customs zone.
The Director, Airports Authority of India, RK Singla said that operations at Begampet which handles 210 to 230 landings/takeoffs daily were unlikely to be affected by the employee's agitation. Manpower was being requisitioned from outside to handle fire services, the only wing that was expected to be hit. The stage has set to receive UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for the inauguration on March 14 and for operation of flights two days later.
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