The government is working on an action plan to modernise non-metro airports in the country.
As a part of its plan, the government wants to upgrade about 20 non-metro airports and bring them at par with international standards so that these can handle more passengers and aircraft.
Although these airports will remain under the ownership and control of the Airports Authority of India, the government is open to private sector participation in their upgradation.
The aim of the government is to decongest some busy airports and divert traffic to non-metro ones. It also wants to exploit the commercial potential of these airports to its fullest in order to increase non-aeronautical revenue sources.
To meet these objectives, the government has worked out a strategy, which involves improving the efficiency and effectiveness of airports that are to remain under the ownership of the AAI, expand aviation infrastructure and airport services capacity and establish a level playing field by creating an independent regulatory structure.
The civil aviation ministry has also firmed up a Rs 5,000-crore (Rs 50 billion) modernisation plan for 20 airports. The plan to upgrade the non-metro airports by the AAI will be set in motion by early 2005. It expects to complete the process by December 2006.
As a part of this project, the government will take steps to modernise and upgrade the city side terminals of about 10 airports initially.