Mangaluru: Mangaluru International Airport in pursuit of excellence in project management, jointly bagged the prestigious Build India Infra Awards 2024 in the innovation category. The awards ceremony was held in New Delhi on March 11, 2024. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Mr. Nitin Gadkari presented the award to the airport team comprising Mr. Unnikrishnan Pothany, Projects Head, and Mr. Mukesh Nankani, Chief Airport Officer.

Mangaluru International Airport was nominated for the 2450-metre runway recarpeting project that it had undertaken at the airport from March 10, 2023, to May 28, 2023. The unique aspect of the project, aimed at meeting compliance norms and enhancing safety of operations, is the flexible overlay of asphalt on a rigid runway, which is the first of its kind in India. The work completed in 75 working days, was carried out as directed by aviation safety regulator.

The runway 06-24 built in FY 2005-06 was a concrete runway which is a rigid pavement. It had slope issues which did not meet the regulatory requirements. The runway recarpeting work also complied with safety requirements flagged by a committee set up Ministry of Civil Aviation post the air crash at Calicut International Airport in August 2020. The runway recarpeting project involved installation of runway centerline lights for the safe operations of the aircraft.

The awards recognized excellence across the roads, ports, aviation, railways, and metro sectors and were presented for achievements in impact, sustainability, and innovation categories. The awards also focused on extraordinary initiatives that shone the spotlight and celebrated trailblazing Indian infrastructure. The significance of the infrastructure sector in the progress and development of a nation cannot be overstated and the awards celebrated this very idea.