Busiest day ever in Nagpur airport's history today

 Today will be the busiest day for the Nagpur airport in its short history. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport will play host to over 50 aircraft - 22 non-scheduled small chartered aircraft, two executive aircraft - a Kingfisher Airbus-319 for liquor baron Vijay Mallya and another special BJP Airbus-320 aircraft - besides the 29 scheduled flights that land, park and take off from here every day.

It will be a challenge for Mihan India Private Limited (MIPL), the operator company of Nagpur airport, to make proper parking arrangements and implement proper safety measures for aircraft of different makes like Gulf Stream, Citation Cessna, Hawkers, King Air 350 and Challenger along with two Airbus aircraft which will operate from here between 11am and 11pm. However, MIPL officials are confident and geared up to make the aircraft operations from here a smooth and safe affair.

Nearly 20,000 big shots from the political and entertainment world are arriving in Nagpur to attend the reception ceremony of BJP national president Nitin Gadkari's son at Jamtha stadium lawns on the outskirts of Nagpur. This will include chief ministers from 10 states.

"By Thursday evening at least 16 chartered planes owned by chief ministers of different states and VVIP industrialists like Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani, Kumarmangalm Birla and Vijay Mallya had confirmed their schedule for operations at Nagpur airport," said chief operating officer of MIPL Awadesh Prasad.

Prasad said, "The airport has capacity to park seven aircrafts here. Of these, four parking bays are reserved for parking of scheduled flights while the rest three bays will accommodate two Airbus planes and two small aircraft. Further, a specially prepared new 16,000 sq meter apron with capacity to park 18 small aircrafts (casual arrangement) is also ready. This area has proper markings and lighting arrangements."

He added that the old apron area too has capacity to park four small aircraft, and it will be used if more chartered aircraft demand permission for parking here.

Prasad also assured that the busy schedule of chartered aircraft landing and being parked at Nagpur during peak hour from 5 to 11pm will not affect the scheduled flight. MIPL has reserved four parking bays especially for scheduled aircrafts and they will operate on their scheduled timings, he added.

The Air Traffic Control and communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) managed by Airports Authority of India (AAI) is also ready with its staffers and made arrangements for smooth flights operations, airport director AK Verma said. The CISF has also increased security cover at the airport for the arriving VVIPs, CISF deputy commandant Pranit Chandra said.