Uttar Pradesh tops with most operational airports

14 Mar 2024 CW Team

Uttar Pradesh has achieved a significant milestone by having more than 10 operational airports, making it the sole state in the country to achieve this feat. On March 10, the prime minister inaugurated numerous airports and airport terminals nationwide. Among these were Aligarh, Azamgarh, Chitrakoot, Moradabad, and Shravasti in Uttar Pradesh.

Following closely after these inaugurations, the regional carrier flybig has commenced the sale of tickets for flights to Shravasti, Azamgarh, Chitrakoot, and Aligarh from Lucknow. On its website, the airline mentions these destinations as part of RCS-UDAN, which is expected to significantly increase the number of operational airports in the country. This inauguration will bring the total number of operational airports in Uttar Pradesh to 13, the highest in any state. Despite being the most populous state in India, Uttar Pradesh has historically lacked adequate airport infrastructure, largely due to its comparatively lower GDP.

In recent years, there has been a significant improvement in infrastructure across the state, including the expansion of existing terminals and the operationalization of new airports such as the one in Ayodhya. Civil enclaves have also been established at defense airfields like Bareilly.

These airports hold great importance, with many being significant tourist destinations or having commercial value. For instance, Shravasti is renowned as the place where Gautam Buddha resided most after attaining enlightenment. Archaeological excavations at the Sravasti site have revealed numerous artworks and monuments related to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. Previously, the closest airport was Ayodhya, which is over 100 kilometers away. Chitrakoot, another significant destination, is a major cultural and religious centre, with Chitrakoot Dham located in Uttar Pradesh and the town of Chitrakoot in neighboring Madhya Pradesh. This is where Lord Rama spent 11 years in exile.

Infrastructure Transport

15 Sep 2025

Cabinet Approves Key Highway and Rail Projects in Bihar Region

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the four-laning of the 84.2-km Mokama-Munger section of the Buxar-Bhagalpur high-speed corridor, a key industrial region in poll-bound Bihar. The Cabinet also sanctioned the doubling of the 177-km Bhagalpur-Dumka-Rampurhat railway line, which passes through Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, at a cost of Rs 31.7 billion.The Rs 44.5 billion highway project will be constructed under the hybrid annuity model, a variant of public-private partnership. The Mokama-Munger stretch was the only remaining two-lane section of the 363-km Buxar-Bhagalpur corridor. Fou..

NGT Issues Notice on Bengaluru Twin Tunnel Project

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday issued notices in response to a petition filed by Bengaluru Praja Vedike and others, challenging the Bengaluru twin tunnel road project. Petitioners claim the project was “hastily announced” and bypassed mandatory environmental impact assessment procedures.Notices have been served to the Karnataka Government, Greater Bengaluru Authority, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE), the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and project consultants.The 16.74-km twin-tube..

India’s Residential Sales to Dip Slightly in FY26

Residential sales in India’s seven major cities are projected to decline by up to 3 per cent year-on-year in FY26 to 620–640 million square feet (msf), amid a moderation in sales velocity, according to ratings agency Icra.In FY25, sales stood at 643 msf, down 8 per cent YoY, following a sharp contraction in new launches and moderated demand in the affordable and mid-income segments. This slowdown came after the sector posted a robust compound annual growth rate of 26 per cent in area sales between FY22 and FY24.Icra noted: “Having seen a strong upcycle, the sector entered an equilibrium ..