Parliament Question: Restrictions on establishment of airports within 150 km

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1788 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9th March 2026 RESTRICTIONS ON ESTABLISHMENT OF AIRPORTS WITHIN 150 KM 1788. SHRI P. WILSON Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) the details of concession agreements entered into between Government (or its agencies) and private airport operators contain a clause restricting establishment of another airport within a 150 km radius; (b) the details of airports located within 150 km to each other; (c) whether consent of the concerned State Governments and neighbouring affected States falling within the 150 km radius was obtained before entering into such agreements, details thereof; and (d) whether the Central Government has considered extension of runway at Coimbatore airport to facilitate the operation of widebody aircraft and dedicated freighter aircraft, considering the land is already acquired by Government of Tamil Nadu as requested by AAI? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) & (b): As per the Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy, 2008, no greenfield airport is allowed within aerial distance of 150 kilometer of an existing civilian airport. However, establishment of a Greenfield Airport is allowed within 150 Km of an existing civilian airport after carrying out the impact assessment on the existing airport. Such cases are decided by the Government on a case to case basis. Beyond this policy, airports under Public Private Partnership (PPP) are governed by their respective Concession Agreements (CA). CA for Bangalore and Hyderabad airports signed between Government of India (GoI ) and Concessionaires and State Support Agreement (SSA) for Delhi and Mumbai airports signed between GoI and Concessionaires restrict establishment of any new airport within 150 kilometer radius from these airports. Further, CA signed between Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Concessionaires of Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati, and Thiruvananthapuram airports contain provision that AAI or its affiliates will not commission a new airport within a 50 kilometer radius for ten years from respective Commercial Operation Date (COD).Government has given approval for setting up of second airport in Noida (Jewar) near Delhi Airport, Navi Mumbai near Mumbai Airport , Dholera near Ahmedabad Airport, Mopa near Dabolim, Goa Airport, Puri near Bhubaneswar airport and Parandur near Chennai airport within 150 kilometres of these existing airports. (c): The consent of State Governments concerned is not required while signing such Agreement, as matter related to airways, aircraft and air navigation, provision of aerodromes, regulation and organisation of air traffic and of aerodromes are part of the Union List as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. (d) : Extension of runway for Code-E operations is dependent upon traffic demand and requirement from airlines etc. ******