GHIAL's key milestones in beating air pollution

Hyderabad: World Environment Day 02019 carries the most pertinent situation as the theme which the world is grappling with air pollution.

When it comes to airports, Hyderabad International Airport, the 6th busiest airport in India, has taken environment to be at its core since its inception as India's first greenfield PPP airport in 2008. In its 11th year, the airport has continued to keep environmental protection as an integral part of the business and is committed to conducting the operations at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), in an environment-friendly and sustainable manner in line with GMR vision, mission, values and beliefs.

Currently, the airport is handling more than 500 aircraft movements and over 60,000 passengers in a day. While the airport has consistently upped its initiatives in keeping the pollution under strict check. Sources say the entire airport will soon have its entire ground support vehicles running on electric. The airport is already using Mahindra Verito electric cars for operations purpose. Giving a boost to the airport's commitment to environment, TSRTC has recently introduced 40 electric buses to and from RGIA to Hyderabad city.

The extensive green belt, which has been developed in an area of 273 hectares with various plant species in addition to the extensive natural vegetation act as the natural sync for absorbing and neutralizing pollution. The vast arrays of tress are acting as carbon sink by absorbing 265 tonnes of CO2 every year.

Green Buildings

The RGIA Passenger Terminal Building has achieved 'Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design' (LEED) certification for its unique design, which allows maximum natural lighting, and other features that enable optimal use of energy and water.

Pollution Control

RGIA takes utmost care to control the air and noise pollution by practicing suitable administrative and engineering control measures. The control measures like operating electric vehicles in the airside and passenger transport (city side), providing fixed electric ground power units to aircraft, periodical pollution checks for the vehicle emissions, continuous descent approach for landing aircraft and continuous climb out operations of the departing aircraft can minimize the air and noise pollution levels at the Airport.

Wastewater Recycling

Wastewater is being treated in Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at site and being recycled for flushing and reused for plantation. Sludge from STP is being used as manure.

Rainwater Harvesting

At RGIA, the rainwater is pro-actively recharged. Surface water use and several water saving measures contribute to water conservation. GHIAL was awarded with the Green Airports Recognition – 2019 for its best water and rainwater management from the Airports Council International (ACI).

Automatic Irrigation

The vast green landscape across the airport approach road is being tended by automatic irrigation system. The system controls the usage of water across the stretch of 8.4 km of landscape around the airport approach road. This cutting-edge technology upgrade is leading to saving of water up to 20% over conventional manual watering system. In addition, the automated irrigation system will soon be integrated with cloud based real time monitoring system including live data feed and intuitive control of watering mechanism. The digitally compliant system will have a centralized controller, which will regulate the entire irrigation network over the internet and can also be controlled through a mobile app.

Solid Waste Management

Food waste generated from the airport is converted as compost on the site. Hyderabad International Airport is the first airport in India to have a captive composting plant for converting the food waste into compost. The compost thus generated is used as manure in place of chemical fertilizers. Paper and plastic waste are handed over to recyclers for reprocess and reuse.

Plastic, paper, e-waste, hazardous waste and bio-medical waste are handed over to authorised recyclers. GHIAL has received the Green Airports Recognition – 2018 for its best solid waste management from ACI.

ISO 14001:2004

RGIA is ISO 14001: 2015 certified as a part of IMS certification in 2018.

Energy conservation

Among its various energy conservation measures, RGIA is progressing towards being 100% LED airport, currently more than 85% of the airport's lights are on LED. This includes the passenger terminal building, airside taxiways, aprons, landside approach road and mast lights at the airport premises.

The airport also has its captive 10MW solar power plant. From this plant a portion of energy requirement of the terminal building is being met. RGIA has achieved significant amount of energy saving in the last five years from various energy conservation practices.

GHIAL reduced its carbon footprint year on year. RGIA received "Certificate of Merit" in National Energy Conservation Awards 2011 from Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Govt. of India for its achievements.

GMR Hyderabad International Airport has received the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Award for "Excellent Energy Efficient Unit" during the 19th National Award for Excellence in Energy Management 2018.

GHG Management

RGIA is a carbon-neutral airport. It was accredited for the Level 3+: Carbon Neutrality of the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) by the ACI. With this, RGIA became the first airport in the Asia Pacific Region to achieve the Level 3+ accreditation in its category. The Level3+ is the highest of all levels of ACI- ACA programme. Further, RGIA has been certified for the third consecutive year in 2019.

Quality Monitoring

RGI Airport is the first airport in the Country to commission an integrated online continuous environmental monitoring station.

Community Support

GMR has a CSR arm – GMRVF. The Foundation works in several surrounding villages with the aim of participatory rural development and strengthening of village communities and their institutions. Several vocational training programmes are conducted for youth. Some key training programs targeting towards environmental conservation include making of jute bags and training for landscape maintenance. The foundation also conducts awareness programmes on environmental conservation for school children.

Udyannam – RGIA, as part of promoting greening even beyond its campus, has a shop at the arrivals for selling plants, under the brand name of Udyannam. These plants are reared at GHIAL nursery and marketed through this outlet, thus cultivating a culture of 'green gifting'!!

Environmental Promotion

RGIA very actively promotes environmental awareness to sensitize the airport community and the passengers by observing various days like World Environment Day, World Forestry Day, Ozone Layer Protection Day, Earth Day, among others.