GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) runs Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) and clocked a 22 per cent growth in cargo transportation with the airport handling 1,80,914 metric tonnes in 2024.
While international cargo shipments showed a 36 per cent jump in 2024 at 1,08,520 MT, domestic cargo rose 5 per cent to 72,395 MT.
While high value pharmaceutical shipments accounted for 72 per cent of the total cargo shipped from Hyderabad airport during 2024, electrical and electronic items as well as engineering goods movement also recorded a good growth, while United States and Europe accounted for 51 per cent of the total exports via the airport, the GMR run airport said.
The cargo was ferried to over 20 international destinations, including US, Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Australia and China, through passenger and freighter flights.
GHIAL said the growth in cargo handling came even as the cargo infrastructure at the airport is undergoing a significant expansion to meet the surging demand.
This includes an upgrade of the existing cargo terminal 1 that, upon completion, will feature a domestic terminal, international courier and express terminal, and a dedicated export perishables terminal to boost operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
The airport is also coming up with a new cargo terminal 2 that will substantially increase the overall handling capacity with the first phase expected to become operational this year.
An additional 20,000 square feet of warehousing space is also being developed within the RGIA cargo village to strengthen the airport’s logistics capabilities, GHIAL said.
Hyderabad cargo was also reaccredited under the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations Programme (ISAGO) in February 2024 and also achieved US Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) certification.