Lok Sabha Question No. 974 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-08
Subject: Expansion and Modernization of Airports
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: M V V Satyanarayana, Maddila  Gurumoorthy, Kuruva Gorantla Madhav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION Lok Sabha

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 974

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  8th February 2024 )

EXPANSION AND MODERNIZATION OF AIRPORTS

974.    SHRI M.V.V. SATYANARAYANA

SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY

SHRI KURUVA GORANTLA MADHAV

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) the plans and timelines drawn for expansion and modernization of airports to improve connectivity;
- (b) the initiatives to promote regional connectivity and make air travel accessible in underserved areas; and
- (c)  the  initiatives  taken  to  make  air  travel  accessible  to  domestic islands which are tourist attractions?

## ANSWER

## Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION      (GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD))

- (a) The expansion of airports, including upgradation of infrastructures/facilities at airports, is a continuous process, which is undertaken by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) or the concerned Airport  Operators  depending  upon  operational  requirements,  traffic, demand, commercial feasibility  etc.  AAI  and  other  Airport  Operators have  embarked  upon  a  Capex  Plan  for  more  than  Rs.98,000  crore ,including around Rs.25,000 crore by AAI during 2019-24, for development/upgradation/modernisation of various brownfield airports and developing Greenfield Airports.

Under the  UDAN  scheme,  76  airports,  including  2  water  aerodromes and 9 Helipads in different regions of the country,  have  been developed and operationalised till date. During 2023-24, it was decided to revive 50 additional Airports/Heliports/Water Aerodrome for improving regional air connectivity under the Scheme. (b) Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has launched Regional Connectivity  Scheme  (RCS)  -  UDAN  (Ude  Desh  ka  Aam  Nagrik)  on 21.10.2016  to  enhance  regional  air  connectivity  from  unserved  and underserved airports in the country and make air travel affordable to the  masses.  UDAN  is  a  market  driven  scheme.  Interested  airlines, based  on  their  assessment  of  demand  on  particular  routes,  submit their proposals at the time of bidding under the Scheme.  An unserved/underserved airport which is included in the awarded routes of UDAN and requires upgradation/development for commencement of UDAN  operations,  is  developed  under  the  'Revival  of  unserved  and underserved airports' scheme.; (c)  Under  the  UDAN  scheme,  special  provisions  have  been  made  for the  Priority  Areas  which  include  the  hilly  states  and  the  islands  of Andaman Nicobar island and Lakshadweep. The following airports and water-aerodromes(WA)  have  been  identified  for  development  in  the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands under UDAN. Andaman  &  Nicobar:  Shibpur,  Car  Nicobar,  Campbell  Bay,  Shaheed Dweep (WA), Swaraj Dweep (WA), Long Island (WA), Mayabunder (WA) Lakshadweep: Minicoy (WA), Kavaratti (WA), Agatti (WA), Kalpeni(WA), Kadmat(WA), Bangaram(WA), Kiltan(WA), Bitra(WA)

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