Lok Sabha Question No. 3218 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-07
Subject: Development of Greenfield Airport in Dhanbad
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri Dulu Mahato

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 3218

(To be answered on the 7 th  August 2025)

## DEVELOPMENT OF GREENFIELD AIRPORT IN DHANBAD

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

3218.

SHRI DULU MAHATO

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Union Government had agreed to take action for a Greenfield airport in Dhanbad while acceding to the continuous requests
- by public representatives thereon and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the State Government of Jharkhand has submitted any progress report or update to the Union Government in this regard and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the said State Government has shared any concrete details to start the project in view of land availability and repeated advisories from the Union Government and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the reasons stated by the State Government for the non-commencement of flights despite the fact that air services were being operational between 1980-1987,  subsequently  terminal  has  been  inaugurated  in  2008  and proposals  invited  under  the  PPP  model  in  2011;  and
- (e) whether the Union Government has formulated any plan to ensure timebound cooperation from the State Government of Jharkhand keeping in view the industrial and religious importance of the project and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

(a) to (e): Government of India (GoI) has formulated a Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy, 2008 for development of new Greenfield airports in the country. As per the policy, if any Airport developer including the State Government desires to develop an airport, they are required to identify a suitable site and get the Pre-feasibility Study conducted and submit a proposal to the Central Government for 'Site Clearance' followed by 'In-Principle' approval. Also the responsibility for implementation of the Greenfield airport projects including land acquisition, R&R, funding etc. lies with the concerned airport developer or the State Government, as the case may be. The timeline for completion of the airport projects depends upon several factors such as land acquisition, availability of mandatory clearances including environmental clearances,

financial closure etc. Proposal seeking 'Site Clearance' under GFA Policy has not been received either from State Government of Jharkhand or any Airport Developer for construction of a Greenfield Airport at Dhanbad. The Dhanbad airstrip, owned by State Government of Jharkhand, is available in the list of unserved airstrips in the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) Document. During UDAN 5.2 round of bidding for Small aircrafts less than 20-seater, bids have been received for connecting Dhanbad airport in Jharkhand.

Thereafter, State Government of Jharkhand was requested to provide their consent  and  confirmation  regarding  the  availability  of  land  for  the development of airport and operation of small aircraft (2B) and for future expansion to category 3C. The State Government has not yet given their consent to develop the Dhanbad airport due to land constraints.

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