AAI targets capital outlay of Rs 91k cr in airport sector

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other airport developers have an estimated capital outlay of around Rs 91,000 crore in the airport sector in the next five years for airport expansion and modification of the existing terminals, new terminals and strengthening of runways, and others.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has undertaken the upgradation and modernisation of airports and other airport developers from time to time depending on the availability of land, commercial viability, socio-economic considerations, traffic demand, the willingness of the airlines to operate to and from such airports.

As per the Greenfield Airports Policy 2008, the central government has so far accorded in-principle approval for setting up of 21 Greenfield Airports across the country, such as Mopa in Goa, Navi Mumbai, Shirdi and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, Kalaburagi, Bijapur, Hassan and Shimoga in Karnataka, Datia in Madhya Pradesh, Kushinagar and Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, Dholera and Hirasar in Gujarat, Karaikal in Puducherry, Dagadarthi, Bhogapuram and Oravakal in Andhra Pradesh, Durgapur in West Bengal, Pakyong in Sikkim, Kannur in Kerala and Hollongi Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh. From all these, eight airports, Durgapur, Shirdi, Sindhudurg, Pakyong, Kannur, Kalaburagi, Oravakal and Kushinagar, have been operationalised.

The AAI had projected a land requirement of 108 acre for developing a Civil Enclave at Bihta Airport in Bihar.The state government has already been given the land to AAI. However, the AAI has projected an additional 191.5 acre land requirement for runway extension and installation of approach light and 8 acre for city development to accommodate wide aircraft for international operations at the airport.

The land requirement at Bihta airport in Bihar is yet to be handed over by the state government to AAI. In case of non-availability of land, the state government must identify an alternate site for constructing a greenfield airport to meet the land requirements for the operation of international flights.

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