Parliament Question: Expansion of Airport Infrastructure

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 6225 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2nd April 2026 ) EXPANSION OF AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE 6225. DR. K SUDHAKAR DR. BHOLA SINGH SMT APARAJITA SARANGI SMT HIMADRI SINGH SHRI MUKESHKUMAR CHANDRAKAANT DALAL SHRI MANOJ TIWARI SHRI SHANKAR LALWANI SHRI KHAGEN MURMU DR. HEMANG JOSHI SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM SMT SMITA UDAY WAGH DR. SANJAY JAISWAL DR. NISHIKANT DUBEY Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) whether the Government has undertaken any comprehensive assessment of airport infrastructure capacity in view of the rapid growth of air passenger traffic including handling of 412 million passengers during the Financial Year (FY) 2025 and projected growth to 665 million by FY 2031 and if so, the details thereof; (b) the present number of operational airports in the country and the projected expansion of the airport network; (c) whether the Government has prepared any long-term roadmap for expansion of the airport network in the country, particularly in view of the stated vision to substantially increase the number of operational airports in the coming decades and if so, the details thereof; (d) the current status of Shahdol Airstrip in Madhya Pradesh; (e) whether there is any proposal under the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme to develop the said airstrip into a fully functional commercial airport to serve the tribal and industrial belt of Shahdol, if so, the details thereof; (f) the present status of development works at Jalgaon Airport in Maharashtra including the progress of the airport terminal building extension and runway extension works there; and (g) the future plans and timeline for further expansion, modernization and enhancement of aviation facilities at Jalgaon Airport to improve regional connectivity and passenger services? ANSWERMinister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) to (c): The expansion including augmentation of capacity is carried out by Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other airport operators based on passenger demand, operational requirements and airline demand, in view of traffic growth. During the last few years, expansion projects have been taken up at several airports across the country resulting in augmentation of passenger-handling capacity to over 570 million passengers per annum.; As on 28.02.2026 there are 164 airports in the country. In pursuance to the objectives of Viksit Bharat 2047, airport development and expansion are being undertaken through Greenfield airports under the Greenfield Airports Policy, revival of unserved/underserved airports under RCS-UDAN, upgradation of existing airports by AAI, and promotion of private investment through PPP. 25 Greenfield airports have received in-principle approval, 13 are operational, and 6 have site clearance. Under RCS-UDAN, 663 routes connecting 95 aerodromes have been operationalised. The modified UDAN aims to connect 120 new destinations and serve 4 crore passengers in 10 years.; (d) & (e): Shahdol airstrip in Madhya Pradesh is included in the tentative list of unserved airports identified under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN. At present, no RCS route has been awarded connecting Shahdol airstrip. ; (f) & (g) Jalgaon Airport has been developed and operationalized under the UDAN scheme at a capital expenditure of Rs.28.55 crore. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has prepared a proposal, presently at a preliminary stage of planning, for expansion of the terminal building from 700 sqm to approximately 1500 sqm, with capacity to handle 150 departing and 150 arriving passengers during peak hours, along with allied passenger amenities and associated infrastructure, subject to requisite Government approvals, availability of land, and statutory/regulatory clearances. ******