Airports: Govt plans $30-bn investment

Buoyed by the success of implementation of PPP model in airport development, the government plans to invest $30 billion in next 10 years with more existing airports being opened up for modernisation, a top official said on Tuesday.

"In 10th and 11th five-year plans, the government has invested $10 billion.

"The airports developed under the public-private-partnership model are presently handling 60 per cent of the passenger traffic in the country.

"The government has planned to invest $30 billion in next 10 years," Civil Aviation Secretary S N A Zaidi said while addressing the 3rd International Aviation Economics Conference in New Delhi.

In the first phase, connectivity to metro cities was established while in the second phase, the focus would be on connecting metros to tier-II and tier-III

cities, he said.

Stressing the need for more airports in the country, Zaidi said the number of passengers was likely to go upto 260 million and cargo by five million tonnes by 2020.

"Presently, there are around 127 airports in the country, but in the second phase of sectoral growth, the existing airports would be developed.

"Some new airports may come and if needed, a second airport would also come up in those cities where there is a need," he said, adding the government is planning to invest Rs 67,000 crore (Rs 670 billion) on these new projects.

He said Delhi has emerged as the hub airport and by 2013 the second airport at Mumbai would be ready.

Similarly, Kolkata and Chennai airports would also function as hubs in their respective regions.