AAI to take over Uttarakhand’s Naini Saini airport, MoU signed in PM Modi’s presence

The MoU was signed during the statehood silver jubilee celebrations at the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun

Published on: Nov 9, 2025, 17:35:51 IST

By Neeraj Santoshi

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Dehradun: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Sunday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi between the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Uttarakhand government for the acquisition of Naini Saini Airport in Pithoragarh.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Sunday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi between the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Uttarakhand government (@pushkardhami X)

The MoU was signed during the statehood silver jubilee celebrations at the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun.

Spread over about 70 acres, the airport’s terminal building can handle 40 passengers during peak hours, while its apron can accommodate two Code-2B aircraft at a time. The apron is the part of an airport where aircraft are parked, loaded or unloaded, refuelled, and boarded.

Following the acquisition, AAI will upgrade the airport’s existing infrastructure and streamline its operations to meet national aviation standards. The move is expected to enhance regional air connectivity and improve accessibility to the Kumaon region, officials said.

Also Read: Uttarakhand can become spiritual capital of the world, says PM Modi

Authorities said the project will eventually boost tourism, trade and employment opportunities, along with supporting sectors such as education, healthcare and hospitality.

Located in a strategic Himalayan zone, the airport’s expansion is also expected to improve the state’s disaster-response capabilities.

Naini Saini Airport was officially linked to Delhi in November 2024 with the launch of a commercial flight operated by Alliance Air. It is also connected to Dehradun through a daily 19-seater aircraft service by Heritage Aviation, while Pawan Hans operates helicopter services to Pantnagar and Haldwani.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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