Nagpur Airport is set for a major terminal upgrade covering about 19,500 square metres, with new self-check-in and baggage-drop facilities, additional security screening equipment, expanded lounges and more bus boarding gates. The first phase is expected to take 12 to 18 months after work begins, subject to regulatory approvals and project scheduling.
GMR Nagpur International Airport Limited (GNIAL) chief executive officer Srikanth Bhandarkar said preparations for the refurbishment are under way, with financial closure achieved, design development progressing and contractors onboarded. Construction will start after the requisite regulatory clearances are obtained.
The proposed work will focus on the existing terminal at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport. It includes four self-bag-drop counters and five self-check-in kiosks, which are intended to add automated processing points for departing passengers. The terminal will also receive four additional X-ray machines to strengthen and expand security-screening capacity.
The refurbishment plan includes an expansion of the forecourt kerb area, upgraded washrooms and dedicated domestic and international lounges. Bus boarding gates are proposed to increase from two to four, adding capacity for passengers who board aircraft from the apron rather than through aerobridges.
GNIAL said several passenger-facing improvements have already been introduced over the past three months. These include passenger support associates and queue managers at key locations, enhanced processing through Digi Yatra facial recognition, improved terminal lighting and landscaping, and new carpets at aerobridges. Fragrance systems have also been introduced across the terminal.
The airport operator has additionally strengthened security-screening arrangements by providing more trays and preparation tables. It has reported improvements to trolley and baggage services, housekeeping and pest-control measures. Doctors, paramedics and technicians are available round the clock for passenger care, according to GNIAL.
The planned refurbishment comes as airports increasingly rely on a combination of terminal capacity, automated passenger processing and improved circulation areas to manage passenger movement. At Nagpur, the announced scope covers both visible passenger amenities and operational touchpoints such as screening, kerbside access and boarding arrangements.
The project timeline remains conditional. GNIAL has stated that the first phase will be completed within 12 to 18 months from the start of work, but the start date depends on regulatory clearances and the project schedule. The operator has not disclosed a detailed construction phasing plan or stated how passenger movement will be managed during the refurbishment.
The next formal milestone is the receipt of the required regulatory approvals, after which work on the terminal upgrade is expected to commence.
