30 new airports needed in next 5 yrs: Plan Panel

The growth projections for air passenger traffic suggest an additional requirement of 30 functional airports over the next five years and 180 in the next decade, according to Planning Commission estimates.

The passenger terminal capacity in all airports, expected to be 230-240 million this year, is likely to grow to 370 million, the estimates, drawn up in accordance with the investment plans of the airport operators, show.

While five private airports at Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Cochin handle 60 per cent of air traffic, state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI), which used to cater to the entire sector, now handles the rest.

As per estimates, the plan body has received from AAI and the industry, Indian airports would require a significant investment of about Rs 67,500 crore during the 12th Plan period (2012-2017), of which around Rs 50,000 crore is likely to be from the private sector.

Noting these projections, the Planning Commission has suggested that support from the state governments to develop airports was "vital" as it would generate trade and tourism opportunities in the respective states.

A working group of the plan panel on the civil aviation sector has also suggested that there was "a greater need to come up with a 'no frills' airport model without compromising on safety and security".

In a bid to encourage and facilitate airport development, it has recommended, among other things, exemptions on income tax and service tax for developers.