LUCKNOW: From flights to 25 destinations in 2017 to services for 71 locations, both national and international, in 2021, the aviation sector in Uttar Pradesh has been constantly spreading its wings.
In 2017, only four airports were functional in the state but the number doubled to eight in just four years.
Kanpur, Bareilly, Prayagraj and Hindon airports have become operational in the last four years. Earlier, the state had only four airports at Lucknow, Varanasi, Gorakhpur and Agra.
According to a report under compilation, upgradation and development work at 10 more airports in Agra, Saharanpur, Aligarh, Azamgarh, Moradabad, Shravasti, Chitrakoot, Sonbhadra, Ayodhya and Jewar is on.
Of these, airports in Aligarh, Azamgarh, Moradabad, Shravasti, Chitrakoot and Sonbhadra have been selected under the central government’s UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) regional connectivity scheme.
The development works being carried out at these airports include expansion of runway, basic strip, boundary wall, terminal building, taxi-way, apron, ATC building and car parking.
According to the compilation draft, work ranging between 90-99% has been completed at airports. The process of obtaining the licence of the aerodrome has also been initiated. These airports will be ready for flight operations soon.
About the upcoming Ayodhya international airport, which has been named Maryada Purushottam Shriram Airport, the compilation report says that in the first phase, it would be made available for A-321 aircraft and will be upgraded for operations of B-777-300 type aircraft in the second phase.
Total 600.97 acre land will be required for the master plan for which around Rs 1,001 crore has been released by the state government. Of the total land, around 296 acre land has been purchased.
Similarly, work at Jewar airport is also expected to begin soon. According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the foundation laying ceremony of the airport in August.
Work on the first phase is likely to be completed in three years after which the airport will be able to cater to 12 million passengers every year. Its capacity will be increased to 70 million passengers per year by 2040-2050.
The state government has given in-principle approval to increase the number of runways to 4-6 from the earlier proposal of two runways. Around 1365 hectare land will be acquired for the purpose. Out of total Rs 2,890.7 crore, Rs 1,084 crore has already been released for land acquisition.
Work at Kushinagar international airport has been completed and the facility is ready for operations. Sources said the airport would be dedicated to the people within the next two months.
The compilation report says that in 2017, flights for eight national and seven international destinations were operational from Lucknow. As on March 31, 2021, Lucknow had flights for 14 national and 7 international destinations.
In Varanasi, flights were available for one international and seven national destinations which have gone up to 15 national and five international flights.
In 2017, only one flight was available from Gorakhpur (to Delhi). Today, the airport offers flights for eight destinations. Similarly, flights from Agra have increased from one to five destinations since 2017.
Prayagraj has flights for 11 destinations, Kanpur City has three, while Hindon and Bareilly have two and one flight, respectively.
In all, flights are available for 59 national and 12 international destinations from UP’s eight airports.
