New airports being built at an unprecedented pace in India: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the media that new airports are being constructed, and remote areas in India are connected through the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik (UDAN) scheme at an unprecedented pace. Minister of State for Civil Aviation, V K Singh, told the media that the Centre has given in-principle approval for establishing 21 greenfield airports in India. Six greenfield airports have been built and operationalised till now. Financial incentives from the Centre, state governments, and airport operators are extended to chosen airlines to support operations from unserved and underserved airports, and keep airfares affordable under the UDAN scheme. The regional connectivity scheme UDAN was started in 2016. The speed with which new airports are being built and the way the UDAN scheme is joining the remote areas across the country is unprecedented, said Modi. The Centre has given in-principle consent for setting up of 21 greenfield airports across the country: Mopa in Goa, Dabra in Madhya Pradesh, Navi Mumbai, Sindhudurg and Shirdi in Maharashtra, Kushinagar and Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, Bijapur, Hassan, Kalaburagi, and Shimoga in Karnataka, Dholera and Hirasar in Gujarat, Karaikal in Puducherry, Durgapur in West Bengal, Pakyong in Sikkim, Kannur in Kerala, Hollongi in Arunachal Pradesh, Dagadarthi, Bhogapuram, and Orvakal in Andhra Pradesh. Under the Greenfield airports policy, proposals for Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, Pantnagar in Uttarakhand, and Purandar in Maharashtra, Kottayam in Kerala have also been received, Singh said. Image Source Also read: Govt to invest Rs 25k cr to develop civil aviation sector