Govt prepares ground for crowded skies

With the rapid growth in air traffic, the government is increasingly seeking public-private participation in improving aviation infrastructure.
Civil aviation minister Praful Patel says besides the upgradation of major airports (Delhi and Mumbai) through the PPP model, 35 non-metro airports have also already been identified for upgradation and expansion in a similar fashion.
Patel's emphasis on upgradation of existing small airports stems from the fact that with rapid growth in the number of passengers, the pressure on the two main airports - Delhi and Mumbai - needs to be eased.
According to estimates by the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), domestic passenger traffic is expected to more than double to over 690 lakh by 2014 and international traffic is also expected to double to over 420 lakh by that year.
Besides seeking upgradation of airports in tier II and tier III towns, Patel is also keen to see regional airlines take off in a big way.
Already, four regional airlines-MDLR, Air Dravida, Star Aviation and Trans India-are expecting a go ahead from the government to begin regional operations.
14/11/07 Sindhu Bhattacharya/DNA Money/Sify.com

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Categories: Airports Nov 2007, New Nov 2007