Executive Summary:
This document presents the Indian government's policy regarding the establishment of regional and international airports. It outlines the criteria for establishing new airports, the handling of air passenger traffic data, and responses to queries about proposed airport developments. The document also includes state-wise air passenger traffic data from 2022-2025 in the annexure.
Key Points / Main Content:
Greenfield Airports Policy:
* The Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy, 2008 guides the development of new Greenfield airports.
* Airport developers, including State Governments, must conduct a Techno-Economic Pre-feasibility Study and prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for airport construction, submitting a proposal to the Central Government.
Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-UDAN):
* The Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-UDAN) aims to revive unserved and underserved airports.
* RCS-UDAN seeks to stimulate regional air connectivity and make air travel more affordable.
International Airport Declaration:
* Declaration as an International Airport depends on traffic potential, airline demand for international flights, runway length suitable for medium capacity long-range aircraft, potential for runway extension, availability of Ground Lighting Facilities and Instrument Landing System, and availability of Customs, Immigration, Health, and Animal/Plant Quarantine services.
Infrastructure Development:
* Modernization and expansion of infrastructure at existing airports is an ongoing process.
* Development depends on traffic demand, commercial viability, land availability, operational requirements for aircraft safety, and airline demand.
Data on Air Passenger Traffic:
* State-wise details of total air passengers handled by all Indian Airports during the last three years (2022-2025) are provided in the Annexure.
Barnala and Sangrur Airport Proposal:
* The Government of India has not received any proposal under the Greenfield Airports Policy, 2008, for developing a greenfield airport in Barnala and Sangrur areas of Punjab.
Impact Analysis:
Airport Developers (including State Governments):
* Impact: Must follow the Greenfield Airports Policy, 2008, for developing new airports, including conducting studies and preparing reports.
* Action Required: Identify suitable sites, conduct Techno-Economic Pre-feasibility Studies, prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), and submit proposals to the Central Government.
Existing Airport Operators/Airports Authority of India (AAI):
* Impact: Responsible for the continuous modernization and expansion of infrastructure facilities at existing airports.
* Action Required: Assess traffic demand, commercial viability, land availability, and operational requirements to plan and implement infrastructure improvements.
Airlines:
* Impact: Play a role in determining the declaration of an airport as international based on their demand for international flights.
* Action Required: Provide data and express demand for international operations to influence airport development.
Passengers:
* Impact: Benefit from improved regional air connectivity and more affordable air travel through the RCS-UDAN scheme. Access to statewise data.
* Action Required: None.
Central Government (Ministry of Civil Aviation):
* Impact: Responsible for overseeing airport development and connectivity schemes.
* Action Required: Review and approve proposals for new airports under the Greenfield Airports Policy, 2008.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Civil Aviation: The Indian government ministry responsible for the formulation and administration of the rules, regulations and policies relating to civil aviation in India.
Shri Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer: Member of Lok Sabha who raised the unstarred question No. 856.
Shri Murlidhar Mohol: Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Greenfield Airports Policy, 2008: A policy formulated by the Government of India for the development of new Greenfield airports in the country.
Regional Connectivity Scheme RCS-UDAN: A scheme launched by MoCA for revival of unserved and underserved airports in the country to facilitate and stimulate regional air connectivity and make air travel affordable.
Airports Authority of India (AAI): An organisation responsible for modernisation and expansion of infrastructure facilities at existing airports.
Barnala, Punjab: An area in Punjab where the establishment of a greenfield airport was proposed.
Sangrur, Punjab: An area in Punjab where the establishment of a greenfield airport was proposed.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION
Lok Sabha
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 856
( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 24th July 2025 )
ESTABLISHMENT OF REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORTS
856. SHRI GURMEET SINGH MEET HAYER
Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION
be pleased to state:-
(a) the details of the specific parameters and criteria set by the
Government for establishing regional or international airports in the
country;
(b) whether the Government has conducted any surveys/studies to
assess future demand for airports and air connectivity, if so, the
findings thereof along with the plans formulated by the Government
to increase the number of airports accordingly and if not, the
reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government has maintained data on air passenger
traffic during the last three years, if so, the details thereof, State
and district-wise and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d) whether the Government proposes to establish a greenfield
airport in the Barnala and Sangrur areas of Punjab, if so, the details
thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Murlidhar Mohol)
(a): Government of India (GoI) has formulated a Greenfield Airports
(GFA) Policy, 2008 for development of new Greenfield airports in the
country. As per the policy, if any airport developer, including the
State Government, desires to develop an airport, they are required
to identify a suitable site and get the Techno-Economic Pre-
feasibility Study conducted alongwith the preparation of the
Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the construction of the airport and
submit a proposal to the Central Government.
MoCA has also launched Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN
scheme for revival of unserved and undeserved airports in thecountry to facilitate/stimulate regional air connectivity and make air
travel affordable to the masses.
Further, declaration of an airport as an International Airport
depends upon various factors like traffic potential demand from
airlines for operation of international flights, availability of the
facilities like suitable length of runway to cater to medium capacity
long-range aircraft or equivalent type of aircraft, scope for
extending the runway length further as per future requirements for
large bodied air crafts, availability of Ground Lighting Facilities and
Instrument Landing System for operation of aircraft at night and
availability of Customs, Immigration, Health and Animal & Plant
Quarantine services.
(b): Modernisation and expansion of infrastructure facilities at
existing airports is a continuous process undertaken by the Airports
Authority of India (AAI) or the concerned airport
operators/developers, depending on traffic demand, commercial
viability, land availability, operational requirements for aircraft
safety, and demand from airlines.;
(c): The state-wise details of total air passengers handled by all
Indian Airports during last three years are at Annexure.
(d): Government of India (GoI) has not received any proposal
seeking approval under the Greenfield Airports Policy, 2008, for the
development of a greenfield airport in Barnala and Sangrur areas of
Punjab, either from the concerned State Government or any airport
developer.
******Annexure
Annexure reffered to in part (c) of the reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred
Question No. 856 for answer on 24.07.2025
Traffic Handled At All Indian Airports During 2022-23 to
2024-25
(In Number)
STATE 2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025
A AND N ISLAND 1273138 1453811 1656704
ANDHRA PRADESH 4927856 5251936 5900958
ARUNACHAL PRADESH 62156 168348 188459
ASSAM 6348422 7386309 7661986
BIHAR 4592209 4286811 4671954
CHANDIGARH 3677786 3721229 4149840
CHHATISHGARH 2356552 2518220 2684210
DAMAN AND DIU 40109 66252 104218
DELHI 65328018 73673877 79259936
GOA 9023553 11278498 11888726
GUJARAT 13575521 15745612 18008745
HARYANA 128 35 0
HIMACHAL PRADESH 205111 238059 264976
JAMMU AND KASHMIR 5989184 5662108 6086616
JHARKHAND 2498607 2750357 2860366
KARNATAKA 34657726 40529695 45212219
KERALA 16530563 19269114 21071752
LADAKH 1260725 1074426 1194892
LAKSHDWEEP ISLAND 48485 47266 117409
MADHYA PRADESH 4640310 5503314 6159848
MAHARASHTRA 56112562 67072624 70817308
MANIPUR 1233997 1274666 1406227
MEGHALAYA 109788 154658 119982
MIZORAM 357639 398667 493465
NAGALAND 295361 319590 336870
ODISHA 3871110 4873716 5211879
PUDUCHERRY 75870 45441 34190
PUNJAB 2516970 3095893 3611107
RAJASTHAN 7198657 8242580 8970754
SIKKIM 15707 8417 11111
TAMILNADU 23983881 27404120 29380660
TELANGANA 20997965 25050346 29181072
TRIPURA 1386087 1470670 1410793
UTTAR PRADESH 9603285 11302659 14227967
UTTRAKHAND 1667517 1710854 1842254
WEST BENGAL 20816581 23421929 25569494
Grand Total 327279136 376472107 411768947