New Delhi: The expansion of existing airports and development of new airports will continue expeditiously, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday. Presenting the Interim Budget for 2024-25, the Union Minister said, “The aviation sector has been galvanized in the last 10 years and the number of airports has doubled to 149" while adding that "Indian carriers have pro-actively placed orders for over 1,000 new aircraft."
"Roll out of air connectivity to tier-two and tier-three cities under UDAN scheme has been widespread. In all, 517 new routes are carrying 1.3 crore passengers," she said. Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) or the regional air connectivity scheme is mainly aimed at making flying more affordable. "Expansion of existing airports and development of new airports will continue expeditiously," the minister further stated.
Three domestic carriers -- Air India, IndiGo and Akasa Air--have together ordered a total of 1,120 planes in less than one year. Tata Group-owned Air India ordered 470 planes -- 250 from Airbus and 220 from Boeing -- in February last year. While, later in June, the country's largest airline IndiGo announced an order with Airbus to buy 500 narrow-body planes.
Ace investor late Rakesh Jhunjhunwala backed Akasa Airline last month and announced an order for 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Notably, Minister of State in Civil Aviation Ministry, Gen (Retd) Dr VK Singh in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha last year said that the Central government has granted 'in-principle' approval for the establishment of 21 new Greenfield airports across the country.
These airports are set to play a pivotal role in transforming the nation's aviation landscape and fulfilling the aspirations of travellers from various regions. Sharing the approved list of Greenfield airports, Singh in his reply noted that it includes 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 in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, Durgapur in West Bengal, Pakyong in Sikkim, Kannur in Kerala and Hollongi (Itanagar) in Arunachal Pradesh.
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