In 2022, the Airports Authority of India identified a plot at Chennai International Airport to develop a common MRO facility. However, almost two years later, the work assigned to the contractor has not yet started. So, what is causing this incessant delay?
The government shortlisted the airport as one of eight potential sites to establish the center, which would have skilled workforce and spares inventory to cater to certain domestic carriers that do not have a dedicated MRO facility or team at the airport to service their aircraft. At these airports, airlines that do not have maintenance teams on site must wait for a specialized team to arrive before repair work begins, leading to delays, cancelations and longer turnaround times.
The Tamil Nadu state government and Chengalpattu District Revenue Administration acquired 32,300 ft.2 of land on the east side of the runway for this project in 2022. Sources say authorities even bought additional land from the state government to shift radars and make way for the center. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) then awarded a contract to CAR 145 maintenance organization Shaurya Aeronautics to administrate the project for the next 15 years.
Initially, AAI claimed that the MRO center would start operations once the integrated terminal was inaugurated, a year later this has not happened. AAI’s latest official statement was that the MRO center was slated to open toward the end of 2024.
An AAI official now tells Aviation Week Network that the facility has been delayed due to issues with the planned design and worker security clearance. Since the selected plot is on the east side of the taxiway, the MRO center was not to exceed 16 m (approximately 52.5 ft.), but the initial design was 18 m high (approximately 59 ft.) The official says a new blueprint is being prepared and construction will begin once it is finalized. Shaurya Aeronautics and AAI have not responded to requests for comment on the worker security clearance issue.
The other airport sites identified by AAI for potential MRO centers were Begumpet, Raja Bhoj, Chandigarh, Juhu, Kolkata, New Delhi and Tirupati. Of these, work is in progress to establish common MRO centers at Begumpet, Juhu, New Delhi and Tirupati airports.
