by Staff Correspondent
GMR Airports-run Delhi and Hyderabad airports have been felicitated by the Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific Green Airports Recognition 2021 for their environment sustainable initiatives.
The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a GMR Group led consortium, has been awarded the Platinum Recognition in the over 25 Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA) category, while the GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) received the Gold Recognition by the ACI in the below 25 Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA) category.
ACI’s Green Airports Recognition programme promotes environmental best practices to minimize the aviation industry’s impact on the environment and recognizes ACI Asia-Pacific members for outstanding environmental initiatives and projects.
The program’s objective is to promote environmental best practices to minimize aviation’s impact on the environment and to recognize airport members who have outstanding accomplishments in their environmental projects. Each year, a different theme is chosen from the environmental aspects and the theme for 2021 was Air Quality Management specifically emphasizing the benefit of local air quality management.
The award was decided by a distinguished global panel that highly praised DIAL’s Green taxiing initiatives at IGI Airport based on TaxiBots.
This is the fifth consecutive year where DIAL has been appreciated and awarded for its sustainable initiatives. The use of TaxiBot’s have helped in reducing around ~532 tonnes of Carbon at Delhi Airport. It also helped airlines in saving around ~214,000 litres of aviation turbine fuel (ATF), which was supposed to be burned by the aircraft during taxiing.
GHIAL has received Gold Recognition for the fourth time in a row for its sustainable airport operations for effective Air Quality Management. Some of the initiatives at GHIAL to improve the Air quality at the Airport and the surroundings that won the accolades of ACI include – Fixed Electrical Ground Power (FEGP) use resulting in prevention of Auxiliary Power Unit and saving of ATF. Use of Solar powered Baggage Freight Loader (BFL), step ladder, electric coaches, tugs, and vehicles resulting in the saving of diesel and associated air emissions. Use of Electric buses and cars in the city side of the airport resulting in the saving of diesel. Single engine taxiing of aircraft resulting in saving of ATF.
Speaking on the occasion, CEO-DIAL, Mr. Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said “DIAL has been on the forefront in embracing new technology as part of its endeavor to conduct airport operations in an environment-friendly way. Delhi Airport is one of the most sustainable airports globally and working continuously towards its objective of becoming a “net zero carbon emission airport” by 2030. I would like to congratulate all our team members, and stakeholders on this commendable achievement, and look forward to the continued contributions and collaboration in making Delhi Airport a Sustainable Aviation Hub.”
Mr. Pradeep Panicker, CEO – GHIAL, said, “We, at GMR Hyderabad International Airport consider sustainable airport operations as an integral part of our business, and are committed to conduct the operations in an environment-friendly manner. As part of our Environmental Policy, we are committed to protecting the environment and have embraced many eco-friendly measures. We continue to make progress on our environment and safety targets aimed at zero discharge and zero emissions in collaboration with all our stakeholders. We are most humbled to receive this recognition which further resolves us to take more eco-friendly initiatives making it an essential component of our business, representing our culture of continuous improvement, innovation and responsibility.”
Sustainability has been the core theme of GMR Airport-run Delhi and Hyderabad airports. Delhi and Hyderabad airports proactively engage with the employees, stakeholders, concessionaires and influence them to adopt environmentally sustainable practices. The airports also actively promotes environmental awareness to sensitize the airport community and the passengers by observing World Environment Day, World Forestry Day, Earth Day, etc. The sustainable airport operations have resulted in significant reduction of fossil fuel consumption and consequent air emissions in and around the Airport.
The Green Airports Recognition programme was established in 2017 with the support from the ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Environment Committee. The programme highlights different environment themes each year. The submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges. Since 2018, DIAL and GHIAL have been continuously winning ACI Green Airports Recognition awards for various sustainable initiatives.
