New Delhi: Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday announced that Uttar Pradesh would see the construction of nine more airports within the next two years. During the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Scindia said that the Modi-led government is giving special attention to the civil aviation sector.
Replying to supplementary questions, he said that only 74 airports were constructed in the first 65 years of independence whereas the Modi government has developed 75 airports in the last nine years, bringing the total to 149, including airports, heliports, and waterdromes.
The civil aviation minister said that only three greenfield airports were built in 65 years, whereas the current government, since 2014, has developed 12 greenfield airports.
The minister said that the state has seen the construction of three additional airports in the past nine years.
“We will construct nine more airports in the next two years in Uttar Pradesh,” said Scindia, adding that the total number would reach 18.
Responding to a query about the Meerut airport, the minister said operations with ATR aircraft using VFR (Visual Flight Rating) can be started once the state government provides an additional 115 acres of land.
“Meerut is an unlicensed airport and was identified during the third round of bidding under the UDAN scheme for development and to operate RCS flights,” Scindia said in a written reply.
FlyBig has secured the Meerut-Lucknow-Meerut route in the UDAN 4.2 bidding round, enabling the operation of RCS flights. The flights will utilize 19-seater aircraft with a frequency of 133 seats per week, excluding ATR 72.
“Only after the airport is ready and licensed, the Selected Airlines Operator can start operating RCS flights from the Meerut airport,” he added.