100-day reform plan for India’s aviation sector: Union Minister Scindia announces 5 new airports, 50 new routes

Jyotiraditya Scindia. Image Credit: Financial Express

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday announced a 100-day reform plan for Indian aviation. Scindia announced that 5 new airports are to be operationalised, along with 50 new routes under the UDAN scheme.

Six new heliports are a part of the reform plan too. New terminals with increased passenger handling capacities were announced for Agartala and Dehradun airports.

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Speaking at a press conference by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Scindia announced that the first airport under the 100-day plan will come up at Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar, as a major boost to the Buddhist circuit.

The airport at Kushinagar is to have the facilities for the successful landing of Airbus 321 and Boeing 737 flights.

Of the 50 new routes announced under the UDAN scheme, 30 are to be made operational by October itself, as per the ministry.

“A second airport terminal will be set up at Dehradun airport. Rs 457 crore are being invested in the construction of it. The new terminal building will be able to handle 1,800 passengers compared to 250 passengers currently,” Scindia stated.

A new terminal is to come up at Agartala, Tripura. The new terminal, with estimated costs of Rs 490 crores, is to take up the passenger handling capacity from 1200 per hour, compared to current capacity of 500/hour.

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“A major airport will be constructed up at Jewar in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. This is an ambitious project not only for Uttar Pradesh but entire India. The airport at Jewar will be a Rs 30,000 crore worth project”, announced the Civil Aviation Minister.

Apart from Kushinagar, the other new airports are to come up at Keshod (Gujarat), Gondia (Maharashtra), Sindhudurg (Maharashtra), and Deoghar (Jharkhand), as per reports.

Apart from the airports, 6 Heliports are to be developed in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh under UDAN. A new policy on maintenance, repair and overhaul activities has also been announced. The heliports are planned at Sanjoli, Sase, Baddi, and Mandi in Himachal Pradesh and Haldwani and Almora in Uttarakhand, the MoCA announced.

OpIndia Staff: Staff reporter at OpIndia