AAI Withdraws Land Acquisition For Surat Airport Expansion
AVIATION & AIRPORTS

AAI Withdraws Land Acquisition For Surat Airport Expansion

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has withdrawn its request to acquire 25.33 acres of land for the Surat Airport Expansion Project, effectively halting plans agreed upon in a memorandum of understanding with the Gujarat government in December 2023. The proposed development included installing a CAT-1 approach lighting system and an ASR-MSSR radar facility, both intended to improve safety and navigation at the airport.

AAI officials informed the Surat district collector that the land was no longer required, citing the region’s minimal fog disruptions—only three flight diversions in a year—as the primary reason. They argued that investing millions in the CAT-1 system was unjustified given Surat’s comparatively stable visibility, especially when contrasted with cities such as Delhi or Amritsar. As a result, the collectorate has suspended all land acquisition proceedings involving 20 landowners, with a budget allocation of Rs 215 crore.

However, aviation experts have raised concerns about the withdrawal. Runway 22 at Surat remains shortened by 615 metres due to illegal constructions nearby, which has already compromised safety. These risks are further exacerbated during the monsoon season and by poor visibility caused by industrial smoke from the Hazira-Sachin area. Experts insist that CAT-1 systems are essential for ensuring reliable landings in such challenging conditions and warn that abandoning the project may jeopardise passenger safety.

The cancellation also means shelving the planned ASR-MSSR radar system, a vital tool for air traffic control. With these developments, Surat Airport’s long-term safety and connectivity improvements now face significant uncertainty.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has withdrawn its request to acquire 25.33 acres of land for the Surat Airport Expansion Project, effectively halting plans agreed upon in a memorandum of understanding with the Gujarat government in December 2023. The proposed development included installing a CAT-1 approach lighting system and an ASR-MSSR radar facility, both intended to improve safety and navigation at the airport.AAI officials informed the Surat district collector that the land was no longer required, citing the region’s minimal fog disruptions—only three flight diversions in a year—as the primary reason. They argued that investing millions in the CAT-1 system was unjustified given Surat’s comparatively stable visibility, especially when contrasted with cities such as Delhi or Amritsar. As a result, the collectorate has suspended all land acquisition proceedings involving 20 landowners, with a budget allocation of Rs 215 crore.However, aviation experts have raised concerns about the withdrawal. Runway 22 at Surat remains shortened by 615 metres due to illegal constructions nearby, which has already compromised safety. These risks are further exacerbated during the monsoon season and by poor visibility caused by industrial smoke from the Hazira-Sachin area. Experts insist that CAT-1 systems are essential for ensuring reliable landings in such challenging conditions and warn that abandoning the project may jeopardise passenger safety.The cancellation also means shelving the planned ASR-MSSR radar system, a vital tool for air traffic control. With these developments, Surat Airport’s long-term safety and connectivity improvements now face significant uncertainty.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Resources

Schindler named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026

Schindler has been named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026, a global ranking recognising companies for their workplace environments.Compiled by Forbes in partnership with Statista, the ranking is based on independent employee feedback, including whether employees would recommend their organisation to friends and family.The company said the recognition reflected its focus on creating a workplace where employees can develop their expertise and build careers. ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India needs an export-execution mindset: Vishesh Jain

Interview with Vishesh Jain, Founder & CEO, EximpleWhat gaps in India’s global trade ecosystem led you to build Eximple, and what problem did you see businesses struggling with most?Eximple came out of a problem that all three founders had seen from different choke points in the trade ecosystem. India has millions of MSMEs and manufacturers, and many of them can make products that are genuinely competitive on quality. Yet only a small fraction is able to build meaningful international businesses. In our experience, the gap is usually not manufacturing capability; it is the ability to exe..

Next Story
Building Material

Nuvoco reports 13.5% revenue growth in Q2 FY27

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. reported consolidated revenue of Rs 27.9 billion for Q2 FY27, up 13.5% year on year. Cement sales volume rose 9% to 4.7 million tonnes (MMT), while EBITDA increased 11% to Rs 4.11 billion.The company said it began its cement operations in 2014 with a 2.3 MMT per annum (MMTPA) operation at Nimbol. It now aims to reach 35 MMTPA of cement capacity by FY28, nearly 15 times its initial capacity. Its portfolio spans cement, ready-mix concrete and modern building materials.On sustainability and cost efficiency, Nuvoco partnered with CleanMax for a 46.4 MW wind-solar hybrid re..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code