GMR-MAHB ALLIANCE POWERING INTO GLOBAL AIRPORT SECTOR

By P. Vijian

NEW DELHI, July 5 (Bernama) -- The commercial alliance between Malaysia
Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) and India's GMR Group continues to thrive in the
airport sector and the completion of the Indira Gandhi International Airport's
third terminal mirrors another success venture.

Now their partnership cuts across the borders, spanning from Delhi to
Istanbul to Male in Maldives, to develop and operate international airports.

MAHB was part of the international consortium led by GMR, a leading
Bangalore-headquartered infrastructure conglomerate that took 37 months to
complete the swanky US$2.6 billion (RM9.1 billion) terminal, also named T3.

"Main fundamentals are our values -- the vibration is there and the
humility. A lot of matching is there. So wherever we go, Malaysia is with us, in
Hyderabad, Delhi, Istanbul (Turkey) and Maldives," GMR chairman Grandhi
Mallikarjun Rao told Malaysian media on Sunday.

"A lot of our people in Hyderabad (airport) were trained in Kuala Lumpur,
our AOCC (airport operation control centre) and a lot of systems are from Kuala
Lumpur and all were trained there. They help us in building infrastructure and
managing airports," he said.

GMR holds a 54 per cent stake, while Airports Authority of India 26 per
cent, MAHB 10 per cent and Germany's Fraport 10 per cent, to form a joint
venture company Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), which is involved in
modernising India's main gateway.

Under a public private partnership model, DIAL, had been given the mandate
to finance, design, build, operate and maintain the Delhi Airport for 30 years,
with an option to extend it by another 30 years.

Recently, GMR tied up with MAHB to secure a bid to modernise Male
International Airport, estimated to be worth US$373 million (RM1.3 billion), and
in Turkey both pooled their expertise in 2007 to develop the Sabiha Gokcen
International Airport.

"We consider ourself very lucky to have such a very good partner and we find
the GMR Group to be very professional, knowledgeable, committed and reliable.
Our relationship has blossomed," MAHB chairman Dr Aris Othman said at the press
conference held at the newly opened T3.
-- BERNAMA


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