DELHI, India, 16 March 2022: India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation outlined this week a plan to finance 21 new greenfield airports while improving existing airports over the next five years.
A fund of Rs250,000,000 (USD3,268,910) will support projects linked to existing airports, according to a Press Information Bureau media statement released on Monday.
Based on the substantial growth in airline travel across the country, the Airports Authority of India’s forecast indicates all-India passenger throughput growth continuing over the next three years, requiring a considerable investment in greenfield airport projects to keep pace.
But the authority cautioned the projections are subject to reassessment given the unpredictable nature of the Covid pandemic and the sharp increase in aviation fuel prices.
Airports Authority of India will develop existing airports over the next five years, build new terminals, expand and modify existing terminals, expand and strengthen existing runways, aprons, Airport Navigation Services (ANS) infrastructure and control towers.
Public-Private Partnership airports at Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru are undertaking major expansion projects costing around Rs300,000,000 (USD3,922,692) by 2025. Additionally, Rs360,000,000 (USD4,707,450) will be invested in new greenfield airports under the PPP model.
The government has approved the setting up of 21 greenfield airports across the country. So far, eight have been identified, namely, Sindhudurg and Shirdi in Maharashtra, Durgapur in West Bengal, Pakyong in Sikkim, Kannur in Kerala, Orvakal in Andhra Pradesh, Kalaburagi in Karnataka and Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh.
The Ministry of Aviation also confirmed that the Under Regional Connectivity Scheme 405 routes connecting 65 airports (including eight heliports and two water aerodromes) were operational as of 8 March 2022. Also, domestic airline capacity is back to pre-Covid times.
(Source: PIB)
