The Indian aviation sector is changing, with the government focusing not just on facilitating air travel but also on building world-class facilities. The new integrated terminal building (NITB) at the Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, was recently opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Jyotiraditya Scindia, India’s Aviation Minister, recently opened the fourth runway at Delhi International Airport, making it the only airport in the country with four runways and India’s first dual elevated taxiway.
Aside from these airport development projects, the government is also building several new airports, putting India at the forefront of global aviation. India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Nitin Gadkari, has indicated that the country will have 200 airports over the next five years.
He said that although 74 airports were operational in 68 years, the PM Modi-led BJP government has made the same number of airports operational in the previous 9 years, bringing the total number of airports to 148.
Upcoming Airports In India
1. Shivamogga Airport – Shimoga, Karnataka
The Shivamogga Airport in Karnataka was opened on February 27. According to Industries Minister M B Patil, commercial operations at the airport are expected to commence on August 11, 2023. This will be the state government’s first airport in Karnataka. The aircraft’s operation and maintenance have been transferred from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to the Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
“Because airport operations will begin on August 11, all preparations will be completed by July 20,” he stated. Among the pending tasks are the deployment of an ambulance and other needed airport vehicles, the opening of a café, and a few technical and non-technical employee appointments.
2. Purandar Airport – Pune, Maharashtra
Purandar Airport is an upcoming airport in Pune, Maharashtra, and the region’s first international airport. The present Pune airport is a civil enclave within the Lohegaon facility co-shared by the Indian Air Force, with aircraft restrictions after certain hours.
This Greenfield project, which is located near Saswad and Jejuri in Pune’s Puranadar Taluka and will be operated by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), has been halted due to several site clearances and outstanding permissions. The airport’s operations and management would be handled by the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC).
3. Bhogapuram International Airport – Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
The GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport, also known as the Bhogapuram Airport, is Andhra Pradesh’s future airport, located in the port city of Visakhapatnam. The airport will be the first major airport, and it will be controlled by GMR Group.
It is being constructed in partnership with the Andhra Pradesh Airports Development Corporation (APADCL) and the Andhra Pradesh state government. While Visakhapatnam does have an airport, it is run by the Indian Navy. The old Visakhapatnam Airport civil enclave will be relocated to Bhogapuram after the new airport is completed. The airport’s development began in 2023 and is projected to be finished in early 2025.
4. Noida International Airport – Jewar, Uttar Pradesh
The Noida International Airport, which is being constructed by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited, a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, is arguably the largest airport project now under construction in India. The Noida Airport, as the second airport in the Delhi-NCR region, is intended to ease congestion at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The airport’s construction began in 2021, with the first phase set to open in 2024. Initially, two runways will be operational, and the airport’s capacity will be 12 million passengers, eventually increasing to 60 million people. It would boost communication between Noida, Western Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and the National Capital Region.
5. Navi Mumbai International Airport – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Another significant project for India is the Navi Mumbai International Airport, which will operate alongside India’s current second busiest airport, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The airport, which will have domestic, international, and cargo terminals, is intended to alleviate congestion at Mumbai International Airport.
After the first phase is completed in 2025, the airport, which will be built on a 1,000-hectare parcel of land, is expected to accommodate 25 million people each year. The City and Industrial Development Corporation, in conjunction with Adani Airports Holdings Limited, will construct the airport in three parts.
