The Ministry of Civil Aviation is planning to set up 21 new airports across India, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has taken up the new airports’ development as well as the expansion/upgradation of several existing airports at an estimated cost of Rs. 25,000 crores in the next four to five years.

The ministry has sanctioned a grant of Rs. 40 crore to begin construction of the domestic terminal at Ambala Sirport. The project is being taken up under the UDAN-3.0 scheme of the Central government to boost regional connectivity. The terminal will come up near Mama-Bhanja Peer on Jagadhri Road.

The Rajasthan Cabinet has approved the release of free land for a new greenfield airport in Kota, and MoCA has set up a committee to look into the height regulations for buildings near airports. In the next three to four years, the government plans to build over 200 airports, heliports, and waterdromes.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has set a target of making operational 100 unserved and underserved airports and starting at least 1,000 air routes under the UDAN scheme. Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said domestic flight services from Bilaspur town in Chhattisgarh will begin from March 1 under the regional connectivity scheme.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has identified and approved 78 new routes under the first phase of Ude Deshka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) 4.0. Seventy-eight new routes have been approved and the Airports Authority of India, the implementing agency, is in the process of awarding them to selected airline operators (SAOs).

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has granted exemptions to 13 consortia to operate drones on an experimental basis, without the need for unique identification numbers and operator permits, till 30 September 2020.

The Government of India plans to construct second airport in major cities of the country. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is requesting state governments to reserve land for building the second airport in major cities. It is estimated to have at least 2,000 acres of land reserved for the construction of the airport.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is working on the idea of allowing passengers to check-in based on biometric authentication.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) plans to set up Greenfield airport at Dagadarthi