Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, announced that the government plans to establish 50 additional airports within the next five years, further expanding the country’s airport ecosystem and promoting job creation.
Over the past decade, the number of airports has doubled to 157, and he highlighted that an additional 200 airports are projected to be developed over the next 20 years. He made these remarks while inaugurating the national capital’s Airbus India and South Asia Headquarters – Training Centre.
He emphasised the importance of enhancing the airport infrastructure to stimulate job opportunities and commercial activities. Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation Mr. Vumlunmang Vualnam added that air passenger traffic in India is expected to double in the next five years from the 220 million passengers recorded in 2022-23.
The minister also provided updates on the government’s ambitious plans for the Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme. Highlighting its impact, Naidu said the government aims to extend the scheme for another 10 years, with plans to either develop 50 new airports or upgrade existing ones over the next five years.
“Currently, we have 157 airports operational, but by 2047, we aim to increase this number to 350,” he said. Naidu emphasized that UDAN, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of democratizing air travel, has been a game-changer, especially for underserved regions.
“The UDAN scheme has brought air travel to remote areas that previously had no connectivity, particularly in the northeastern and hinterland regions. These areas are now not only connected to major cities but also to various international destinations,” he said.
Earlier, referring to a series of hoax bomb threats to numerous flights in the country, the minister said that his ministry is considering legislative amendments to crack down on hoax bomb threats, with plans to add perpetrators to a no-fly list, announced Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Monday. The proposal comes amid a surge in fake threats targeting multiple airlines in recent days.
“We are exploring amendments to Aircraft Security Rules to ensure that anyone responsible for such threats is placed on the no-fly list. Additionally, changes to the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act are also under consideration,” Naidu said.
