New Delhi, Feb 22 (UNI) Air connectivity will not only help in the development of tourism will also boost trade and airports at North East will open up the entire South East Asia sector, Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said on Friday.
“Airports in the North East region will bring about huge transformative change and the states of North East will now become the fastest growing states in India.
“These projects are not only foundation stones but are the foundation to empower people through connectivity,” Mr Prabhu said.
The Minister said this while inaugurating several infrastructure projects worth Rs 629 crore via video link here. This was done in order to make them world class and future ready.
These airports include Thiruvananthapuran, Calicut airports in Kerala, Mangaluru airport in Karnataka, Madurai airport in Tamil Nadu, Rupsi airport in Assam, Jaipur airport in Rajasthan, Amritsar airport in Punjab and Imphal airport in Manipur.
Mr Prabhu said around Rs 620 crore was being spent on eight AAI airports in the country to upgrade and revamp airports infrastructure.
India has the fastest growing aviation sector in the world and the Civil Aviation Ministry has recently launched UDAN 3.1 and invited bids for airlines to fly over as many as 28 to 30 routes in order to cover the North Eastern region of India, hilly terrain of Uttarakhand, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh and establish intra island connectivity at Andaman and Lakshadweep islands, he added.
The Minister added that in the recently concluded Global Aviation Summit 2019 held in Mumbai in January this year, the Vision 2040 document with the theme “Flying for all” was released.
“The document estimates that India will need 200 airports with an investment of 40 to 50 billion dollars to handle at least 1.1 billion passengers flying to, from and within the country.
“All round development of airports will have to take place to provide quality service to flyers. The scheduled airline fleet will rise from 622 at the end of March 2018 to 2,360 till March 2040. This will fulfil the vision of UDAN scheme to open Indian skies and achieve its objective of “Sab Ude – Sab Jude,” he added.
Ministry Secretary P S Kharola Airports Authority of India chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra and Ministry and AAI officials were present on this occasion.
Kerala Governor Justice P Sathasivam inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects of Trivandrum and Calicut airport from Trivandrum, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala laid the foundation stone for projects at Mangaluru airport and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone of Rupsi airport in the state.
UNI SW SHK1821