India plans to construct 100 new airports over the next decade. This expansion aims to enhance regional air connectivity under the UDAN scheme. The government will invest approximately thirty thousand crore rupees for this ambitious project. Civil aviation is identified as the nation's fastest-growing economic sector. The hub-and-spoke model is being adopted to improve passenger convenience.
India plans to build 100 new airports over the next 10 years under the Centre's regional connectivity scheme UDAN, with an outlay of around Rs 30,000 crore, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said on Tuesday.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi were also present at Ahmedabad Airport, where Naidu inaugurated India's third 'hub & spoke' operations.
"While there were 74 airports in 2014, today we can proudly say that India's map features 166 airports. Going from 74 to 166 set a record for the country. Over the last 12 years, we completed work on a new airport or a new terminal roughly every 40 days," Naidu said.
"This 12-year journey was merely the beginning for the Ministry of Civil Aviation. We have expanded upon the revolutionary changes brought to the air travel sector by the 'UDAN' scheme over the past decade. Looking ahead, we plan to spend approximately Rs 30,000 crore over the next 10 years to build 100 new airports," he said.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved in March the launch and implementation of the Regional Connectivity Scheme - Modified UDAN for 10 years from FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36. The scheme has a total outlay of Rs 28,840 crore, with budgetary support from the Centre.
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Naidu said civil aviation is the fastest-growing sector in the country and that demand for air connectivity is increasingly coming from smaller cities and remote regions.
"And this demand is not limited to major cities -- it comes from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, Himalayan regions, remote areas, and islands like Lakshadweep and Andaman. Everywhere, people are asking when will an airport be constructed in their area. This is the voice of modern India. We are listening to it, formulating policies accordingly, and moving forward," he said.
Naidu said that while India is expanding its airport network, the key challenge is ensuring effective domestic and international connectivity to these airports.
"When addressing the need for convenience, we recognised the immense potential of the 'hub-and-spoke' model," he added.
Under the model, international flights typically operate from major cities. Delhi, for instance, offers direct connectivity to 54 destinations.
"However, aspirations have grown; people now want international flights to start from existing airports and desire better domestic connectivity from airports that already handle international traffic. By integrating these needs, we initiated the hub-and-spoke model," he said.
The scheme began with Varanasi and Amritsar, where the response was positive, Naidu said.
Ahmedabad was subsequently chosen for the model due to the large NRI community from the city and Gujarat and continued requests for better connectivity from the region.
"I am confident that the figures we see here will surpass those of any other airport in the country operating on such a large-scale 'hub-and-spoke' model. We are moving forward with a focus on passenger convenience, and you will see the results of this transformation firsthand," the Union minister said.
Naidu said the civil aviation sector's ability to generate economic activity and employment makes it an important contributor to the country's growth.
"Its impact extends across various sectors, connecting a diverse range of people to the airport within a city. Advancing airports and aviation means advancing the entire nation, such is the power of our civil aviation sector," he said, adding that Gujarat plays a pivotal role in the National Civil Aviation Policy.
(With PTI inputs)
