Union minister for civil aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Thursday said Uttar Pradesh would get nine more airports in next 15 months.
Addressing the UP Investors’ Summit, the minister said Uttar Pradesh got nine out of 25 routes finalised by the Centre under the regional connectivity scheme.
“Nine more operational airports will come up in Aligarh, Azamgarh, Bareilly, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Moradabad, Myurpur (Sonbhadra), Allahabad and Shravasti in 15 months,” Raju said.
“Allahabad will be connected to 13 cities of the country. No one would have imagined this a few years ago. When the BJP came to power, there were 476 airstrips in the country and only 75 of them were airports. In three years, we have added 18 airports,” he said.
The minister said 56 more airports would be added in the country in next 15 months as the government wanted everyone to experience air travel.
“Only one per cent population of Uttar Pradesh travels by air that is why there is a huge untapped passenger potential. Air traffic is increasing in UP at a rate of 28.8% while cargo is going up by 32%. This is when most of the potential remains untapped,” he said.
Raju said Lucknow airport would soon have a unit of maintenance, repair and operations. “It will give services for aircrafts at the lowest possible rates not only in India but globally too,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Raju said Lucknow airport would soon have a unit of maintenance, repair and operations. “It will give services for aircrafts at the lowest possible rates not only in India but globally too,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He said helipads would be developed at tourist destinations like Vrindavan, Mathura, Naimisharanya, Chandra Prabha, Mahoba, Chunar and Deogarh.
‘50,000 MORE JOBS IN CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR IN FIVE YEARS’
Civil aviation sector will provide around 50,000 jobs in Uttar Pradesh in the next five years, a senior official at the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said.
Addressing the UP Investors’ Summit, executive director (regional connectivity), AAI, GK Chaukiyal said Jewar airport would be the biggest airport of the country and would have four terminals and runways of 1000 hectares each.
“Civil aviation sector will provide 50,000 jobs. While Jewar international airport will come up in 5000 hectare area, Kushinagar airport will be spread in 1000 hectare area. Jewar airport will see about 1,000 landing and take-offs in a day,” he said.
Chaukiyal said the government would invest Rs 15,000 crore in Jewar airport and cargo hub and Rs 354 crore in Kushinagar airport.
Officials of GMR group demanded connectivity of proposed Jewar international airport with metro train.