Indian Aviation Takes Off: 30 New Airports To Be Commissioned In 15 Months; Sikkim’s First To Be Country’s 100th  

The good days for Indian aviation show no sign of abating with 30 new airports set to come up in the country within the next 15 months. This comes on the heels of another landmark where Sikkim’s Pakyong Airport is set to become the country’s 100th airport. According to an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official, each airport would require an investment in the region of Rs 300 million to Rs 800 million.

The new airports would be developed by the AAI in conjunction with the respective State governments under the UDAN scheme. In addition to the 30 new airports being set up, there is a proposal to develop 31 new helipads as well as helicopter services, which are soon to be commissioned under UDAN.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate a new airport in Jharsuguda on 22 September which would be Odisha’s second operational airport after capital Bhubaneshwar. In a push to aviation in Odisha, three more airports are in the process of coming up in the cities of Jeypore, Rourkela and Utkela.