Lok Sabha Question No. 2278 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Operationalisation of Kushinagar International Airport
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri Ramashankar  Vidharthi Rajbhar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 2278

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  12th February 2026 )

## OPERATIONALISATION OF KUSHINAGAR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

## 2278.    SHRI RAMASHANKAR VIDHARTHI RAJBHAR Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

(a) the time by which the Kushinagar International Airport would be fully operational for  regular  domestic  and  international  flights  along  with  the  current  status  of  flight operations therefrom;

(b)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  connect  Kushinagar  Airport  to  more  cities under the UDAN scheme and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government is aware that Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh is still deprived of an airport facility, affecting regional development and emergency services and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government has any proposal under consideration for establishment of an airport or airstrip in Ballia district; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the future plans in this regard?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION            (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

(a): Kushinagar Airport is an operational airport of Airports Authority of India (AAI), however, at present there are no scheduled flight operations at the airport. With the repeal  of  Air  Corporations  Act  in  March  1994,  the  Indian  domestic  aviation  was deregulated and the provision of air services to specific destinations is determined by airlines  based  on  traffic  demand,  commercial  viability,  and  compliance  with  extant guidelines.

International operations of airlines are governed by the bilateral Air Services Agreement (ASA) between India and the respective countries. In accordance with the ASAs, Indian designated carriers are free to mount operations to/from any point including Kushinagar to  foreign  destinations  as  per  mutually  agreed  capacity  limits,  while  any  designated foreign airline can operate to/from a point in India if it is designated as a point of call in the ASA. The commencement of direct international flights from any point in India is purely a commercial decision of scheduled airlines, based on passenger demand, slot availability, route viability, and other related factors.

(b): Kushinagar airstrip is available in the tentative list of unserved airports in the UDAN scheme document. In case, any airline submits a bid for routes connecting to Kushinagar Airstrip  in  future  rounds  of  bidding,  the  same  will  be  considered  as  per  the  scheme provisions.

(c)  to  (e):  Government  of  India  (GoI)  has  formulated  a  Greenfield  Airports  (GFA) Policy,  2008  according  to  which,  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  for  construction  of  airport  and  submit  a proposal  to  the  Central  Government  for  'Site  Clearance'  followed  by  'In-Principle' approval.

No proposal seeking 'Site Clearance' under GFA Policy for development of a Greenfield Airport in Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh has been received.

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