India's Civil Aviation Soars: Operational Airports Double, 100+ New Ones Planned

Ranchi: Union civil aviation minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Wednesday said that the number of operational airports has more than doubled and passenger footfall expanded manifold across the country due to the initiatives taken by the NDA govt over the past 12 years. The Centre would further develop over 100 airports and 200 helipads over the next decade to strengthen the civil aviation sector, he announced.

Naidu inaugurated several amenities, including a Udan Yatri Cafe, a library, a kids’ zone, and an AVSAR counter/ kiosk to support local artisans of Jharkhand, and unveiled a statue of tribal leader Birsa Munda at the Birsa Munda airport.

“Airports are becoming hubs of economic, cultural activities and employment opportunities and playing a strategic role in country’s growth. The number of operational airports has gone up from 74 to 165 since 2014, placing India as one of the fastest growing countries in the civil aviation sector across the globe. The number of aircrafts and passenger footfall have also increased manifold,” he said.

“The ministry has allocated Rs 29,000 crore this year, the highest ever allocation, to roll out second phase of the UDAN (ude desh ke aam nagrik) (UDAN 2.0) scheme to enhance regional connectivity to further fuel the growth of the civil aviation sector,” the minister added.