100 airports to be developed by 2024 under UDAN scheme

The government has planned to develop 100 airports by 2024 under the Regional Connectivity scheme (RCS)-Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) infrastructure scheme.

Upgradation and modernization of airports is a continuous process and is undertaken by Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other airport operators from time to time depending on the availability of land, commercial viability, socio-economic considerations, traffic demand/ willingness of airlines to operate to/from such airports, said Minister of State, Civil Aviation, V.K. Singh said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Development of new airports during the next five years include construction of Greenfield Airports at Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, Vijayapura, Hassan and Shivamogga in Karnataka, Noida (Jewar) in Uttar Pradesh, Dholera and Hirasar in Gujarat, and Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh.

Further, modernisation and upgradation work at existing Brownfield Airports include development works being undertaken at Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, and Mangaluru airports.

The AAI and other airport operators have targeted capital outlay of approximately Rs 98,000 crore in the airport sector across India by 2025 for construction of Greenfield Airports and new terminals, expansion and modernisation of existing terminals and strengthening of runways, among other activities.

Out of this, more than Rs 25,000 crore capital expenditure is being incurred by AAI and the remaining by private airport operators/developers, the Minister's reply noted.