In-principle approval for setting up 21 new greenfield airports

Union Minister VK Singh informed in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on 10 August 2023 that the Government of India has given in-principle approval for setting up 21 new Greenfield Airports.

Out of these 21 new greenfield airports, 12 greenfield airports have already started their operations.

• In this context, the Government of India has also prepared a Greenfield Airport (GFA) Policy, 2008 for the development of Greenfield airports in the country.

• As per this policy, if any developer including the state government wants to develop an airport, they have to identify a suitable site and get a pre-feasibility study done for building the airport and after in-principle approval, go to the central government for site approval. has to submit a proposal.

• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other airport operators have initiated capital expenditure plans of over Rs 98,000 crore during 2019-24 for development/upgradation/modernization of various brownfield airports and greenfield airports to meet the growing demands. The development of airports is involved in which AAI's amount of about 25000 crore rupees is also involved.

• Further, to enhance regional air connectivity to hitherto unserved and under-served airports in the country, the Ministry of Civil Aviation launched the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) on 21st October, 2016, which Air travel became affordable for common people.

Fixed Standards for International Airports:

• Up-gradation of airports to meet international standards/norms specified by international organizations like International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Air Transport Association (IATA) etc. The work is done taking into account various aspects including the situation and airline preferences.

• The declaration of an airport as an international airport depends on the traffic potential, demand of airlines for operating international flights and bilateral air services agreement.

• It also includes provision of ground lighting facilities, instrument landing systems, runway length, immigration, health and animal and plant quarantine services, etc.

• Currently, there are 30 international airports in the country.

Some important facts related to the airport:

• India's largest international airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. It is the busiest airport in India by passenger capacity.

• The largest international airport in India in terms of area is Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad (Hyderabad), which is spread over 5,495 acres. This international airport was started on 23 March 2008.

• Trichy's airport is the smallest airport in India.

• Allahabad Airport or Bamrauli Airport is located in Allahabad. This is the first airport of India. Allahabad Airport was built in 1919.

• Juhu Airport is India's first civilian airport, it is located in Mumbai, it was opened in 1928 as Vileparle Aviation Club, India's first civilian flight left for Karachi on 15 October 1932, flying J RD Tata , who is considered the father of the aviation industry in India, took off himself.

• Cochin International Airport, Kerala is the world's first 100% solar-powered international airport developed under the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model.

  • In October 2020, Puducherry airport became the first Airport Authority of India (AAI) airport to be fully solar powered.

• Kushok Bakula Rimpochi, Ladakh is the highest commercial airport in India at 3256 m and the 22nd highest commercial airport in the world.

• Daocheng Yading Airport is the highest airport in the world located in the Sichuan province of China.

• Two Indian states, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, have the maximum number of four international airports.

• The number of international airports in UP has increased to three after Kushinagar airport got permission for international flights.

  • In Uttar Pradesh, there are currently a total of 9 airports, including three international and six domestic airports.

  • Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi

  • Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lucknow

  • Kushinagar International Airport