**Executive Summary:**
This document outlines the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation's responses to questions regarding airport development and airfare regulation. It details the approval and operationalization of greenfield airports, ongoing airport upgrades, and measures to address rising traffic demand in Mumbai and the National Capital Region (NCR). The document also addresses airfare monitoring and initiatives to improve airport facilities.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Greenfield Airports:**
* Approval granted for setting up 24 Greenfield Airports (GFA) across the country as per the GFA Policy, 2008.
* 12 GFAs have been operationalized including Durgapur, Shirdi, Kannur and Mopa.
* **Airport Upgradation and Modernization:**
* Upgradation and modernization of airports is a continuous process.
* Airport projects have been undertaken by AAI and private operators at numerous airports since FY 2019-20.
* **Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport, Durgapur:**
* Government approved the establishment of the greenfield airport in Durgapur.
* The airport was operationalized in May 2015.
* Upgradation of infrastructure facilities is ongoing, undertaken by Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Limited (BAPL).
* **Addressing Traffic Demand:**
* Approval granted for Noida Jewar (NCR) and Navi Mumbai to ease pressure on existing airports.
* **Airfare Regulation:**
* Airfare approval by the Government was dispensed with in March 1994.
* Airlines are required to establish tariffs considering operational costs, service characteristics, and reasonable profit.
* Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) monitors airfares via a Tariff Monitoring Unit (TMU) to ensure compliance with declared fare ranges.
* **Improving Airport Facilities:**
* Upgradation and modernization of existing airports by AAI.
* Development/revival of unserved/underserved airports under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) UDAN.
* Promotion of private investments in existing and new airports through Public Private Partnership (PPP).
**Impact Analysis:**
* **Airport Authority of India (AAI):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for upgrading and modernizing existing airports.
* *Action Required:* Continue to execute upgrade and modernization projects at various airports.
* **Private Airport Operators/Developers:**
* *Impact:* Involved in airport projects, including upgrades and new developments.
* *Action Required:* Continue to undertake airport projects, including at Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Mopa, Navi Mumbai, Noida Jewar, Bhogapuram, Ayodhya, Kushinagar, Sindhudurg, Itanagar, Dholera, Dehradun, Agartala, Patna, Vijayawada, Deoghar, Amrtisar, Chennai, Tirupati, Mangalore, Kolkata, Port Blair, Surat, Tiruchirapally, Kolhapur, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Rajkot, Leh, Hubballi, Imphal, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Rajahmundry, Belagavi, Shivamogga, Vijayapura, Hassan, Prayagraj, Tuticorin and Patna etc.
* **Airlines:**
* *Impact:* Required to establish reasonable tariffs and comply with DGCA's monitoring.
* *Action Required:* Establish tariffs considering operational costs and service characteristics, and cooperate with DGCA's TMU.
* **Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Limited (BAPL):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for the upgradation of infrastructure facilities at Durgapur Airport.
* *Action Required:* Continue upgrading infrastructure facilities at Durgapur Airport.
* **Passengers:**
* *Impact:* Beneficiaries of improved airport facilities and potentially regulated airfares.
* *Action Required:* None specified.
* **State Governments/Union Territories:**
* *Impact:* Involved in proposals for new airports and upgrades within their jurisdiction.
* *Action Required:* Continue to submit proposals for airport development and upgrades as needed.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Civil Aviation: The Indian government ministry responsible for the formulation and administration of policies, planning and development of civil aviation.
Greenfield Airports GFA Policy, 2008: A policy formulated by the Government of India for the construction of new greenfield airports in the country.
Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport, Andal, Durgapur: A greenfield airport located in Andal, Durgapur, West Bengal.
Noida Jewar, Uttar Pradesh: Location of a new airport development in Uttar Pradesh, within the National Capital Region (NCR).
Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra: Location of a new airport development in Maharashtra, near Mumbai.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation DGCA: The regulatory body in India responsible for civil aviation.
Regional Connectivity Scheme RCS UDAN Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik: A Government of India scheme to enhance regional air connectivity and make air travel affordable.
Aircraft Rules, 1937: Set of rules regulating air transport undertakings engaged in scheduled air services.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 3005
th
(To be answered on the 7 August 2025)
CONSTRUCTION OF NEW AIRPORTS
3005. SHRI SANATAN PANDEY
Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION
be pleased to state:-
(a) whether the Government proposes to build new international airports and
upgrade/modernise the existing airports in the country and if so, the details
thereof, location-wise;
(b) the details of the proposals received from various States/Union Territories
during the last three years in this regard and the current year along with the
action taken thereon, airport/year- wise;
(c) the present status of development work of Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport,
Andal, Durgapur along with total expenditure incurred thereon;
(d) whether the Government proposes to develop new alternative airports to
ease pressure on the existing airports in Mumbai and National Capital Region
(NCR) and if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether the Government proposes to introduce any policy to impose a
ceiling on air fares as sometimes the fares become exorbitant, if so, the details
thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(f) the steps taken by the Government to expand and improve the facilities at
various airports in the country?
ANSWER
Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Murlidhar Mohol)
(a): As per the Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy, 2008 formulated by
Government of India for construction of new greenfield airports in the
country, approval has been accorded for setting up of 24 Greenfield Airports
across the country, namely, Puri in Odisha, Parandur in Tamil Nadu, Kota in
Rajashtan, Mopa in Goa, Navi Mumbai, Shirdi and Sindhudurg in
Maharashtra, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Hassan and Shivamogga in
Karnataka, Dabra (Gwalior) in Madhya Pradesh, Kushinagar and Noida
(Jewar) in Uttar Pradesh, Dholera and Rajkot (Hirasar) in Gujarat, Karaikal
in Puducherry, Dagadarthi, Bhogapuram and Oravakal (Kurnool) in AndhraPradesh, Durgapur in West Bengal, Pakyong in Sikkim, Kannur in Kerala
and Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh.
Out of these, 12 Greenfield airports viz. Durgapur, Shirdi, Kannur, Pakyong,
Kalaburagi, Orvakal (Kurnool), Sindhudurg, Kushinagar, Itanagar, Mopa,
Shivamogga and Rajkot (Hirasar) have been operationalised.
(b): Further, Upgradation/ Modernisation of airports is a continuous process.
Since FY 2019-20, airport projects have been undertaken by AAI and Private
airport operators/developers at several airports across the country including
at Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Mopa,
Navi Mumbai, Noida (Jewar), Bhogapuram, Ayodhya, Kushinagar,
Sindhudurg, Itanagar, Dholera, Dehradun, Agartala, Patna, Vijayawada,
Deoghar, Amrtisar, Chennai, Tirupati, Mangalore, Kolkata, Port Blair, Surat,
Tiruchirapally, Kolhapur, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Rajkot, Leh, Hubballi, Imphal,
Jodhpur, Udaipur, Rajahmundry, Belagavi, Shivamogga, Vijayapura,
Hassan, Prayagraj, Tuticorin and Patna etc.
(c): Government of India had granted approval to Bengal Aerotropolis
Projects Limited (BAPL) for setting up of Greenfield Airport in Durgapur,
West Bengal, with a project cost of Rs. 670 crore. The airport was
operationalized in May, 2015. The upgradation of infrastructure/ facilities at
Durgapur Airport, is a continuous process, which is undertaken by BAPL.
(d): Government of India has granted approval to Noida (Jewar) in National
Capital Region (NCR) & Navi Mumbai in Mumbai region to cater to the
rising traffic demand in these regions.
(e): With the repeal of Air Corporation Act in March 1994, the process of
airfare approval by Government has been dispensed with. Under the
provision of Sub Rule (1) of Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, every air
transport undertaking engaged in scheduled air services require to establish
tariff having regard to all relevant factors, including cost of operation,
characteristic of services, reasonable profit and the generally prevailing tariff.
Airlines are free to charge reasonable air fares as per their operation
viabilities subject to compliance to above said rule.
Further, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has setup a Tariff
Monitoring Unit (TMU) that monitors airfares on select domestic sectors on
random basis by using airlines' websites data on monthly basis to ensure that
the airlines do not charge airfares outside the range declared by them.
(f): The Government has taken various steps for improving the facilities at
various airports which inter-alia include upgradation and modernisation of
existing airports by AAI, Development/revival of unserved/underserved
airports under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - UDAN (Ude Desh Ka
Aam Nagrik) and promoting private investments in existing and new airportsthrough the Public Private Partnership (PPP).
*****