Lok Sabha Question No. 1338 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-27
Subject: Increase of Passengers in Air Travel
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Sangeeta Azad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION Lok Sabha

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1338 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  27th July 2023 )

## EXPANSION OF AIR TRAVEL

1338.    SHRIMATI SANGEETA AZAD Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the number of air travellers has increased in recent years and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the increase rate of air travel in the financial year 2022-2023 over financial year 2021-22;
- (c) the details of initiatives taken by the Government to mitigate the impact of increased air travel; and
- (d) whether the expansion of air travel under UDAN has any impact on India's goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION      (GEN.

(DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD))

- (a) & (b):  The number of air travellers has increased in recent years. The number  of passengers carried by the scheduled Indian carriers for their scheduled domestic operations with effect from the financial year 2018-19 till the  financial year 2022-23 (provisional) along with
- growth rate  is at  Annexure.
- (c):    Measures taken by the Government to mitigate the impact of increased air travel include:;
- i.    development of greenfield airports
- ii.   extension of the runway;

iii.   resurfacing/ recarpeting of the runway; iv.   construction/upgradation of the Terminal Building; v.   construction/expansion of apron; vi.    construction/expansion  of  taxiway,  isolation  bay,  parallel  taxi

- track, hangar, parking bay etc.;
- vii.  Upgradation/strengthening  of  the  infrastructure  and  passenger facilities at the airports ;;

(d): A number of measures have been taken to achieve the target of carbon neutrality which include:;

i. use of energy efficient technologies; ii. adopting operational efficiency measures; iii. switching over of airports' operations on 100% Renewable Energy in  phased  manner.  Airports  Authority  of  India  (AAI)  has  already installed  solar  power  plants  at  various  airports  with  cumulative capacity  of  more  than  55  MW  .  Two  thirds  of  the  total  electricity requirements of  AAI  is  being met through  either in-house solar plants or procurement of renewable energy  through open access and under green power tariff. ; iv. AAI has already obtained ACI-ACA (Airport Carbon Accreditation) Level 2 certificates for Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Varanasi airports. ; v. Airport operators and developers are advised by MoCA to strive for carbon  neutrality  and  net-zero  emissions  and  to  adopt  carbon mitigation measures and develop carbon management plans. Airports have implemented various practices to reduce their carbon footprint, such as utilizing renewable energy, optimizing operational procedures  and  schedules  and  incorporating  alternative  fuels  in ground handling vehicles. Additionally, airports are transitioning to 100  %  green  energy,  with  55  airports,  including  49  managed  by Airports Authority of India (AAI), currently operating on 100% green energy.;

- vi. DGCA has issued the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR), Section 10 titled  'Aviation  Environmental  Protection,'  Series  B,  Part  I.  This requirement  outlines  the  general  procedures  and  practices  that stakeholders should follow to minimize aviation emissions and their impact on climate change.

vii.  Airlines  have  implemented  measures  to  reduce  their  carbon footprint, such as reducing aircraft weight, preventing moisture and dirt accumulation on aircraft, and optimizing speed and flap management. viii.  AAI,  in  consultation  with  the  Indian  Air  Force,  has  optimized airspace  utilization  through  the  Flexible  Use  of  Airspace  (FUA) initiative, resulting in a reduction of CO2 emissions. ix.  AAI  has  introduced  initiatives  to  reduce  the  use  of  energy intensive equipment in existing and upcoming airport projects. They have published Energy Intensity Data and created a training module for Air Traffic Controllers to raise awareness about carbon neutrality as part of their induction training program.

- ******

Annexure

| PASSENGERS HANDLED AT INDIAN AIRPORTS 2015-16 TO 2022-23 (IN MILLION)   | PASSENGERS HANDLED AT INDIAN AIRPORTS 2015-16 TO 2022-23 (IN MILLION)   | PASSENGERS HANDLED AT INDIAN AIRPORTS 2015-16 TO 2022-23 (IN MILLION)   | PASSENGERS HANDLED AT INDIAN AIRPORTS 2015-16 TO 2022-23 (IN MILLION)   | PASSENGERS HANDLED AT INDIAN AIRPORTS 2015-16 TO 2022-23 (IN MILLION)   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| YEAR                                                                    | INTERNATIONAL                                                           | DOMESTIC                                                                | TOTAL                                                                   | %GROWTH                                                                 |
| 54.66                                                                   | 169.29                                                                  | 223.95                                                                  | -                                                                       | 2015-16                                                                 |
| 59.29                                                                   | 205.68                                                                  | 264.97                                                                  | 18.3%                                                                   | 2016-17                                                                 |
| 65.47                                                                   | 243.28                                                                  | 308.75                                                                  | 16.5%                                                                   | 2017-18                                                                 |
| 69.48                                                                   | 275.22                                                                  | 344.70                                                                  | 11.6%                                                                   | 2018-19                                                                 |
| 66.54                                                                   | 274.51                                                                  | 341.05                                                                  | -1.1%                                                                   | 2019-20                                                                 |
| 10.13                                                                   | 105.25                                                                  | 115.38                                                                  | -66.2%                                                                  | 2020-21                                                                 |
| 22.09                                                                   | 166.80                                                                  | 188.89                                                                  | 63.7%                                                                   | 2021-22                                                                 |
| 56.93                                                                   | 270.34                                                                  | 327.27                                                                  | 73.3%                                                                   | 2022-23                                                                 |