Delay in land allotment for airports weighs on existing airport infrastructure: Report

Land allotments to airports at smaller cities have fallen short of the suggestions made by Airports Authority of India (AAI)

Land allotments to airports in smaller cities have fallen short of the required estimates put forth by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and growing passenger traffic (as Covid-19 curbs are eased) is leading to congestion at terminals. Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar are among major states that have a significant gap between the land required and allotted for airports.

The AAI, projected an allocation of 249 acres of land to Mysuru, however, it is yet to receive any land, according to a report by The New Indian Express. The AAI needs 370 acres of land for Belagavi airport's development but it has got only 348.6 acres till date, according to a PTI report

Likewise, Bhavnagar, Kandla, Porbandar, Surat and Vadodara airports that were projected for an additional 490 acres, 323 acres, 434 acres, 2194 acres and 18 acres of land, respectively, for expanding airports' infrastructure, however, nothing has been allotted by the state government, according to the report.

Madhya Pradesh too is yet to allot any land of the projected 2,314 acres for the Indore airport, the report cited.

Last month, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia requested chief ministers of several states to expedite matters related to aviation infrastructure.

The AAI has embarked upon development and expansion of airports in the country at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore in the next four to five years in order to meet the growing passenger demand in the country.

(With inputs from agencies)