Under UDAN, 469 routes connecting 74 unused and underutilized airports including 9 heliports and 2 water aerodromes have been operationalised. (File photo Varanasi)
The government has given ‘in-principle’ approval for setting up 21 new greenfield airports across the country.
The government has given ‘in-principle’ approval for setting up 21 new greenfield (fresh) airports across the country. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia said that of these, Navi Mumbai, Vijayapura, Hassan, Noida (Jewar), Hirasar and Dholera airports are likely to be completed in the next three years.
“Out of these (21 greenfield airports), 11 greenfield airports including six airports – Oravakal (Kurnool) in 2021, Sindhudurg in 2021, Kushinagar in 2021, Itanagar in 2022, Mopa in 2023 and Shivamogga in 2023 – the last three years,” Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
The 21 airports are Mopa in Goa; Navi Mumbai, Shirdi and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra; Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Hassan and Shivamogga in Karnataka; Dabra (Gwalior) in Madhya Pradesh; Kushinagar and Noida (Jewar) in Uttar Pradesh; Dholera and Hirasar in Gujarat; Karaikal in Puducherry; Dagadarthi, Bhogapuram and Orvakal (Kurnool) in Andhra Pradesh; Durgapur in West Bengal; Pakyong in Sikkim; Kannur in Kerala; and Hollongi (Itanagar) in Arunachal Pradesh across the country.
Of the remaining greenfield airports, where ‘in-principle’ approval has been accorded by this Ministry, the airports at Navi Mumbai, Vijayapura, Hassan, Noida (Jewar), Hirasar and Dholera are due in the next three years with tentative dates of completion.
However, the timeline for construction of airports depends on various factors such as land acquisition, mandatory clearances, removal of bottlenecks, financial closure etc. by the respective airport developers.
Airports have emerged as hubs of economic activity and have a multiplier effect on the state’s economy. The relationship between the civil aviation sector and economic development is well recognized. Studies by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) show that air connectivity has an economic multiplier of 3.1 and an employment multiplier of 6.1.
Under UDAN, 469 routes connecting 74 airports including 9 heliports and 2 water aerodromes have been made operational by February 28, 2023.
UDAN by supporting selected Airline Operators (SAOs) through concessions by the Central Government, State Governments/Union Territories and airport operators to reduce the cost of airline operations on regional routes and provide financial (Viability Gap Funding or VGF) It is envisaged to enhance the efficiency of regional air connectivity. ) Support to meet the difference, if any, between the cost of airline operations and expected revenue on such flight routes.
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