India’s first independent aircraft maintenance and repairs project was launched in Nagpur to offer end-to-end services to aircraft operators in the country.

The establishment of the aircraft Maintenance, Repairs and Overhaul (MRO) centre at the multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN), a mammoth project for the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Aiport in this second capital of Maharashtra, is expected to have an investment of Rs7.25 billion (Dh546.5 million).

Duke Aviation Engineering Pvt Ltd, the first company in India to launch the MRO facility in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of MIHAN, will offer not only regular and routine services but also major maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft. Whilst its first facility will be functional by early 2010, the remaining ones will be fully functional in the coming 2 to 3 years.

Duke Aviation has been allotted 36.5 acres of land for the project by Maharashtra Airport Development Company. The facility is expected to create more than 400 jobs by 2012.

Inaugurating the project last Thursday, Governor of Maharashtra, S. C. Jamir, said, “At present there is no such MRO facility in India and for any major maintenance or certification, aircraft have to go outside India.

The Asian MRO industry is growing at the rate of 5.7 per cent and is expected to reach about $14 billion (Dh51.42 billion) by 2013. Of the total expenditure, Aircraft operators spend almost 13 per cent on maintenance and servicing.