For the last one-and-a-half years, India has been the fastest growing air traffic market in the world.
In July, domestic air travel in India grew 26.2 per cent with China being the second-fastest growing domestic market (10.2 per cent traffic growth), according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Last year, the number of passengers travelling by air equalled the number of passengers that travelled in the air-conditioned coaches of the Indian Railways, according to GMR Group Chairman Airports Srinivas Bommidala.
So much for the good news. Here is the grim picture: the robust growth in air traffic has led to capacity constraints and increasing congestions at the Indian airports and a capacity shortage looms large, in terms of runway slots, parking bays or terminals, in the years to come.
As India is set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in the next five to seven years, according to consultancy firm CAPA, it needs to come up with a firm plan to build 50 new airports at an investment of Rs.2.72 lakh crore to handle the growing air traffic. And it has to start planning now as the airport capacity constraint cannot be resolved overnight as it involves land acquisition, approvals and clearances, design, construction and urban planning, among others. At present, out of 125 airports managed by Airports Authority of India (AAI), 69 airports receive commercial flights. Let’s take the case of metro airports first.
Metro airports
Around 66.5 per cent of India’s total air traffic comes from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad airports. These six cities would require new airports by 2025-26 and in some cases, much earlier, CAPA said in its report titled ‘India’s Airport Capacity Crisis’ released early this year.
The fact that both Mumbai and Bangalore airports could be shut for operations simultaneously during much of the day-time early next year reflects the poor planning in terms of airport infrastructure.
“Major runway upgrades need to be planned more efficiently with less impact on traffic disruption,” said Kapil Kaul, CEO and Director, CAPA South Asia. “It is a systemic issue, reflecting the structural problems to do with airport planning,” according to him.
25/09/16 Somesh Jha/The Hindu
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In July, domestic air travel in India grew 26.2 per cent with China being the second-fastest growing domestic market (10.2 per cent traffic growth), according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Last year, the number of passengers travelling by air equalled the number of passengers that travelled in the air-conditioned coaches of the Indian Railways, according to GMR Group Chairman Airports Srinivas Bommidala.
So much for the good news. Here is the grim picture: the robust growth in air traffic has led to capacity constraints and increasing congestions at the Indian airports and a capacity shortage looms large, in terms of runway slots, parking bays or terminals, in the years to come.
As India is set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in the next five to seven years, according to consultancy firm CAPA, it needs to come up with a firm plan to build 50 new airports at an investment of Rs.2.72 lakh crore to handle the growing air traffic. And it has to start planning now as the airport capacity constraint cannot be resolved overnight as it involves land acquisition, approvals and clearances, design, construction and urban planning, among others. At present, out of 125 airports managed by Airports Authority of India (AAI), 69 airports receive commercial flights. Let’s take the case of metro airports first.
Metro airports
Around 66.5 per cent of India’s total air traffic comes from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad airports. These six cities would require new airports by 2025-26 and in some cases, much earlier, CAPA said in its report titled ‘India’s Airport Capacity Crisis’ released early this year.
The fact that both Mumbai and Bangalore airports could be shut for operations simultaneously during much of the day-time early next year reflects the poor planning in terms of airport infrastructure.
“Major runway upgrades need to be planned more efficiently with less impact on traffic disruption,” said Kapil Kaul, CEO and Director, CAPA South Asia. “It is a systemic issue, reflecting the structural problems to do with airport planning,” according to him.
25/09/16 Somesh Jha/The Hindu
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