GMR Hyd gets govt nod to charge Rs 375 on domestic fliers

MUMBAI: GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd today said it has received government approval to charge Rs 375 each from all domestic outbound passengers at the new airport in Hyderabad from August 22 onwards. "Consequent to the approval received from the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, GMR Hyderabad, the developer and operator of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad will be levying a User Development Fee (UDF) of Rs 375 per head to all domestic outbound passengers," the company said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

"The levy of UDF has become necessary in view of the huge investments made by the GMR-led consortium for creating the world class facilities for the passengers who use the greenfield airport," GMR HIAL Chief Commercial Officer Viswanath Attaluri said.

The company has developed the first phase of the airport with an investment of Rs 2,478 crore. The UDF would be collected at the airport before issue of boarding pass from all those passengers who have not been charged UDF as part of the ticket issued to them.

"The collection of UDF is as per the business plan approved by Union Ministry of Civil Aviation prior commissioning of airport operations and as per the terms and conditions in the financial closure of the project," Attaluri said, adding that the charging of UDF is a common feature levied globally on all greenfield airports. Shares of the company were trading at Rs 104.60, up 1.75 per cent on the BSE in morning trade