'50 airports in country identified for low-cost development'

The government has identified 50 airports for low cost development and modernisation to boost the regional air connectivity, Civil Aviation Secretary Ashok Lavasa said today.
"There has been a phenomenal growth of the Indian aviation sector in the last decade to reach out to the consumer at the bottom of the pyramid.
"We are working towards a framework where state, Centre and the airlines make collaborative efforts (to develop low cost airports)," he said, addressing a conference on 'Enhancing regional connectivity' at the India Aviation Show here, adding that such airports will enhance passenger traffic in non metro cities, he said.

Civil aviation sector cannot be looked at as merely an aviation services and consumer market. As a large industrial economy, India must gain excellence in the MRO industry, and must enter the technology and manufacturing, Ficci general Secretary Didar Singh said.
Ficci will work with the civil aviation industry to support this endeavour, he added.
India is striving in its own way to meet the challenges in the area of safety threats, US Trade and Development Agency Regional Director for South and Southeast Asia Henry Steingass said, adding, "We need to look at the aviation for the vast need of transportation of passage as well as cargo traffic and strengthen our economy.

"And this is where the US system is most evolved in handling the traffic. This is where the challenge that India faces lies, and keeping our commonality we can respond to Indian need.