India advances next phase of airport expansion; operational network at 164 as new Greenfield project clearances grow pipeline as 164 airports are now operational across the country, including Greenfield airports, heliports and water aerodromes, the government informed Parliament on Thursday, 12 February.
With new Greenfield project clearances and proposals under consideration, the Centre is steadily building the next layer of airport capacity to support rising passenger demand and long-term connectivity.
According to a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha by MoS Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, in the last ten years, the Centre has accorded in-principle approval for the development of 10 Greenfield airports – Dholera in Gujarat, Noida in Uttar Pradesh, Bhogapuram, Dagadarthi and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, Rajkot (Hirasar) in Gujarat, Itanagar (Hollongi) in Arunachal Pradesh, Parandur in Tamil Nadu, Kota in Rajasthan and Puri in Odisha.
“Out of these, Rajkot (Hirasar), Itanagar (Hollongi) and Kurnool airports have been operationalized,” the minister added.
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Alongside these developments, the government has also granted site clearance for six additional Greenfield airports at Alwar in Rajasthan, Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh, Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, Kottayam in Kerala, Doloo in Assam and Raichur in Karnataka, indicating the next phase of aviation capacity creation.
Further, applications seeking in-principle approval are currently under consideration for projects at Kottayam (Kerala), Raichur (Karnataka), Doloo (Assam), the minister informed.
Meanwhile, proposals seeking site clearance have been received for approval for Greenfield Airport Projects in Sonpur (Bihar), Srikakakulam and Nagarjuna Sagar (Andhra Pradesh) by the Civil Aviation Ministry, reflecting a growing pipeline of future airport infrastructure.
The minister said that the development of Greenfield airports is guided by the Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy, 2008, under which a state government or airport developer must identify a suitable site, conduct a pre-feasibility study and submit a proposal to the Central Government for site clearance followed by in-principle approval.
Implementation responsibility, including the mode of execution and project funding, rests with the concerned airport developer or the respective state government (when it is the project proponent), the minister said.
With several airports already operational, multiple projects approved, and fresh proposals under review, India’s aviation network is witnessing a structured expansion aimed at strengthening connectivity and supporting long-term passenger demand.
