GMR eyes Chennai and Kolkata airports

Hyderabad, July 25 (UNI) GMR Infrastructure Limited, the holding company of GMR Group, today announced it is in the race for development of Chennai and Kolkata airports in India along with airports in other Asian countries.

Speaking to the media at a roadshow of its IPO, slated to open from July 31 this year, GMR Group Managing Director B V N Rao said we seek to expand our airport business through selectively bidding on new projects based on projected costs, location and rate of return. In addition to the Chennai and Kolkatta airports, the company also intends to participate in airport projects in Asia, mostly in South East Asian countries. The company is also in talks with third party for setting up maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Hyderabad International Airport coming up in Shamshabad, about 30 KM from here, he added.

The group, which already has been awarded the brownfield Delhi Airport Project and the greenfield Hyderabad Airport Project, declared that it would also bid when the privatisation of the Kolkata and Chennai airports are offered by the Airport Authority of India (AAI).

The Hyderabad Airport Project under private-public partnership was awarded on December 20, two years back, and control of Delhi International Airport was given on May 3, this year after legal wrangling.

The AAI had announced its intention to invite tenders for other projects including airport operation, management and development projects at Chennai, Kolkata, Goa, Pune, Nagpur, Ahmedabad and Srinagar.

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