Ms Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the National Advisory Council, UPA and President of Congress Party, laid the foundation stone for the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport project at Shamshabad in Andhra Pradesh.  The airport is being developed by GMR group and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad. The State and Central Governments hold 13 per cent stake each in the Rs.1,418-crore project.

The airport would have the longest runway in India with a length of 4.26 km. With a width of 60 m, the airport could handle new generation wide-bodied aircraft like Airbus A-380. It would also comprise a separate cargo terminal with a capacity to handle one lakh tonnes of cargo a year. Besides, it would have a provision for a first-of-its-kind terminal to carry low-cost carriers. The company expects to complete financial closure by July 2005 and begin commercial operations by 2008. The existing airport at Begumpet would then cease to operate civilian aircraft.

Meanwhile, the Union Government has decided to develop international airports at Navi Mumbai, Pune, Goa and Ludhiana with public-private participation. Besides, the Government would also upgrade and develop world-class air connectivity at 25 non-metros, involving capital expenditure of Rs.6,000 crore.