The civil aviation ministry has confirmed the closure of the existing Begumpet airport in Hyderabad from March 16, 2008 - the day the GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL)-promoted Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad commences operations. The ministry has issued a gazette notification to this effect.This is in pursuance of clause 5.5 of the concession agreement signed between the government and GHIAL on December 20, 2004, the developers of the international airport said in a release issued today. GHIAL is a joint venture promoted by GMR Infrastructure (63%), Airports Authority of India (13%), the government of Andhra Pradesh (13%) and Malaysian Airports Holding Berhad (11%) with a mandate to develop a world-class international airport spread over 5,500 acre in Shamshabad - about 25 km from the main city. GHIAL has also received an aerodrome licence and clearance for operations of fire fighting systems from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), environmental clearance granting consent for operations from the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) and clearance for the airport as a notified customs zone, the release added.
