Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other airport developers have targeted capital outlay of approximately Rs 91,000 crore in airport sector in the next five years for expansion and modification of existing terminals, new terminals and strengthening of runways, among other activities, according to the civil aviation ministry.

India’s airports sector is expected to see investments of Rs. 90,000 croreover the next five years, with nearly Rs 68,000 crore coming from the private sector and the rest from the Airports Authority of India, as domestic air traffic is nearing the pre-Covid level of 4 lakh.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is planning to set up 21 new airports across India, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has taken up the new airports’ development as well as the expansion/upgradation of several existing airports at an estimated cost of Rs. 25,000 crores in the next four to five years.

AAI has taken up development projects worth around Rs. 25,000 crore over the next five years for expansion and modification of existing terminals, new terminals, expansion or strengthening of existing runways, aprons, air navigation services, control towers, technical blocks etc.

Haryana has directed the officers concerned to ensure that all works related to Maharaja Agrasen Airport are completed within the stipulated time frame. Work on the second phase of the airport was ordered to be expedited after a meeting of the Chief Minister with officers of the Civil Aviation Department and administrative officers.

Construction of a domestic terminal and allied facilities has begun at Thoothukudi airport. The 10,800 sq m domestic terminal with three aerobridges will have interiors to achieve four-star rating, air traffic control tower-cum-technical block and fire station, all at a total cost of Rs. 195.32 crore.

The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati has been handed over to the Adani Group for operations, management and development. The concession agreement between the Airports Authority of India and Adani Enterprise Ltd was signed in January. Adani is the successful bidder for all six airports that have recently been privatised.

Work on an international airport near Dholera Special Investment Region in Gujarat will begin by January 2022 and phase-1 is scheduled for completion by December 2024. It is being executed by the Dholera International Airport Company Ltd, a joint venture between AAI, the Gujarat government, and the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust.

The Sindhudurg airport in the Konkan region Maharashtra has been inaugurated with the start of flights to Mumbai, and the number of daily flights will increase to 20-25 within the next five years. Sindhudurg Airport is also known as Chipi Airport.