Create new airports in metro cities

The recent announcement of privatisation of major airports under PPP model is a refreshing move, at a time when the Ministry has now turned its attention to improve non-metro airports like Lucknow, Guwahati, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Thiruvananthapuram and Ahmadabad. While major airports located in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore are witnessing huge passenger influx in millions, demanding an equal attention to throw open an alternative airports including the upcoming one at Navi Mumbai.

Airports across India is now witnessing massive infrastructure growth owing to increased domestic and passenger traffic, infusion of RCS connectivity schemes, ease of 0/20 rule to enable Indian carriers to fly international routes etc. Further with the inception of UDAN scheme now in its third stage, even the regional airports across the country  also demand for  an urgent attention to improve both the air connectivity and develop airport infrastructure. The Ministry's NABH (Nextgen Airports For Bharat) Nirmaan initiative aimed at easing land acquisition process to enable the development of regional and greenfield airports now needs a further push.

No doubt PPP model is an excellent opportunity for the regional airports to gain a major infrastructure boost. However, as the UDAN scheme promises to connect to unutilised and underutilized airports and also to major Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in phases, the robust development of greenfield airports aided by NABH Nirmaan initiative jointly by a comprehensive PPP model also now needs a greater attention.

Varun S D, Bengaluru