Govt plans massive airport expansion

New Delhi: The New Delhi airport is taking off and so is Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai are on the runway for fast transformation.
However, the government is thinking even bigger. A study commissioned by the government says that by year 2020, 400 million passengers will be flying by air and airlines in India will be flying at least 1,000 aircraft, almost five times the number of aircraft in the country at present.
No wonder the government will need a huge investment in airport infrastructure. The report also states that by 2020 India will need $30 billion investment in airports. Out of which $9 billion has already been committed. So government needs a further $21 billion.
Mumbai may need three airports by that time while Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata will need a second airport.
So the government is getting its policy ready for airport construction. The report suggests that the government should allow 100 per cent private ownership of airports, give more powers to state governments, start projects with big companies and corporatise air traffic control.
The government has already started work on merchant airports, greenfield airports wholly owned by private players with no government participation.
28/05/07 NDTV.com

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Categories: Airports May 2007, New May 2007