Lok Sabha Question No. 1561 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-13
Subject: Development of Airport Infrastructure
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri Kuldeep Indora

## 1561.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1561

(To be answered on the 13 th  February 2025)

## DEVELOPMENT OF AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

SHRI KULDEEP INDORA

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government has formulated any strategy for the development of airport infrastructure in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government to address the increasing domestic and international air travel demand;
- (c) the measures being taken to provide cheap air travel to common people;
- (d) the status of currently functional airports in Rajasthan; and
- (e) whether the Government considers providing modern airport facilities to Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh districts in near future and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

(a) to (c): Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued the National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016 which seeks to provide a conducive ecosystem for overall growth of  the  Indian  aviation  sector  in  a  harmonised  manner  that  includes infrastructure development of airports through greenfield projects as well as under the UDAN scheme and growth of all its sub-sectors viz airlines, MRO, FTO  etc.  Since  2014,  12  greenfield  airports  have  been  built  and operationalized.

To improve the aviation infrastructure, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other PPP Airport Operators have embarked upon a Capex Plan from 2019-20  to  2024-25  for  more  than  Rs.91,000  crore  for  development  / upgradation / modernization of various airports in the country to meet the growing demands of air traffic and passenger growth. Projects include new airports, expansions and modifications of existing terminals, additional passenger facilities, new terminals, expansions and strengthening of runways and aprons, and ANS (Air Navigation Services) work like control towers and technical blocks.

To provide affordable air travel to common people, Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) has been launched. The scheme aims to stimulate regional air connectivity, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3  cities.  Since  the  inception  of  the  scheme  in  2016,  UDAN  has operationalized  88  unserved/underserved  airports,  including  2  Water Aerodromes and 13 Heliports. As a result, the total number of operational airports/heliports/water-aerodromes has increased from 74 in 2014 to 159 in 2024. (d): At present, there are seven operational airports in Rajasthan, including one international airport at Jaipur, three domestic airports at Kishangarh, Kota and Udaipur and three domestic civil enclaves at Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur. (e): The existing airstrip at Lalgarh in Sri Ganganagar is included in the tentative list of unserved airports in the UDAN document. Under the RCSUDAN Scheme, revival / up-gradation of unserved and underserved airports is undertaken upon its identification through valid bid and award to the Selected Airline Operator (SAO). Regarding Hanumangarh, as of now, no proposal under Greenfield Airports Policy has been received in MoCA for construction of a Greenfield Airport at Hanumangarh district either from State Government of Rajasthan or any other Airport Developer.

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