CHENNAI: The Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) centre would be established in the Chennai International Airport and it's expected from year-end.

After the MRO start to operate in Chennai airport the flights that are facing technical snag will be rectified within a few hours and they do not need to wait for a day or two.

The AAI decided to construct MRO at the backside of the airport but at that time there was no sufficient place to construct the MRO. Later, the AAI requested the State government to allocate the land for the MRO. Then in 2022, the government with the help of the Chengalpattu Revenue Department acquired 32,300 sq feet of land from Gaul Bazar which is on the East side of the runway.

After that, the AAI started the work to establish the MRO but at that time since the priority was on the inauguration of the New Integrated Terminal, the MRO work was postponed.

Now, Shaurya Aeronautics has signed an agreement with the AAI to establish the MRO centre in the Chennai airport shortly and the firm will manage the MRO for the next 15 years in the Chennai airport. Once the MRO centre starts to function, the flights that face technical snags will be repaired in lesser time and it will lower the probability of cancellation of the flights. Now, when International flights face technical snag, the aircraft will be parked on the runway for a day or two since the parts will not be available in Chennai.

But, if the MRO is operating in Chennai, all the flights can be repaired very soon. Airport officials believe that this will help many airlines to operate their flights to Chennai airport and it will increase the flight operations in the city.