Minister of State for Civil Aviation Gen VK Singh announced that the Union government has given ‘in-principle’ approval for setting up 21 greenfield airports across the country. The construction of these new airports in different regions is in line with the government’s aim of improving air connectivity in the country. In addition, plans for new greenfield airports cover multiple states and target many new sites.
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, in a written reply to Lok Sabha, Singh said these airports include Mopa in Goa, Navi Mumbai, Shirdi and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Hassan and Shivamogga in Karnataka, Dabra (Gwalior) in Madhya Pradesh. Pradesh, Kushinagar and Noida (Jewar) in Uttar Pradesh, Dholera and Hirasar in Gujarat, Karaikal in Puducherry, Dagadarthi, Bhogapuram, and Oravakal (Kurnool) in Andhra Pradesh, Durgapur in West Bengal, Pakyong in Sikkim, Kannur in Kerala and Donyi Polo , Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh.
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Of these, 9 greenfield airports – Durgapur, Shirdi, Kannur, Pakyong, Kalaburagi, Oravakal (Kurnool), Sindhudurg, Kushinagar, and Doni Polo, Itanagar have become operational.
The government has given ‘in-principle’ approval to the Gujarat state government for the development of two greenfield airports at Hirasar (Rajkot) and Dholera (Ahmedabad). The state government has collaborated with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the development of Hirasar Airport at a project cost of Rs 1405 crore.
With respect to the development of Dholera Greenfield Airport at a project cost of Rs 1305 crore, AAI, Government of Gujarat (GoG) and National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT), a joint venture company, have equity in the proportion. 51:33:16 respectively has been constituted to oversee its implementation. The development of greenfield airports is governed under the Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy, 2008.
As per the policy, a State Government or an airport developer desirous of setting up an airport is required to send a proposal to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) for 2-stage approval, i.e., ‘Site-Clearance’ and its After ‘in-clearance’. The principle MOCA considers such proposal to be considered by the MOCA as per the procedure laid down in the GFA Policy. Re-implementation of airport projects including funding rests with the concerned airport developer and operator including the concerned state government (if the state government is the project proponent).
(With inputs from ANI)