Fasten Your Seatbelts!

CW reports on the expansion and modernisation projects of 25 airports proposed in the next five years.

With 2017 just around the corner, the airports sector is in takeoff mode. Under the ‘Udan’ scheme devised by the government to increase connectivity, plans are on the anvil to build 200 new airports in Tier-I and Tier-II cities and renovate airstrips in disuse. This apart, the new green terminal that opened at Vadodara Airport to increase its passenger handling capacity is also making headlines (Read more on Page 82).

There’s more. After the deadlines for accepting RFQs was extended thrice for the Nagpur Airport, it is known t hat six private companies – Essel Infrastructure, IRB Mumbai, GVK, GMR, Tata Realty and PNC Infrastructure – have responded to the RFQ, making it the biggest-ever response to any airport privatisation bid. And, Bengaluru-based GMR Airports has signed a concession agreement with the Goa Government for the development and operations of North Goa’s greenfield international airport in Mopa.

Drivers of development