AAI to invest Rs 17,000 crore to develop existing airports

Nov 09, 2016: In a bid to undergo major expansion, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has announced to invest Rs 17,000 crore in the next five years for development and upgradation of existing airports. During his visit to Biju Patnaik International Airport, (Bhubaneswar Airport) yesterday, Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Chairman, AAI, said that Indian aviation sector is growing tremendously at an average rate of 20 percent.

He further added, “The Govt of India through AAI has decided to invest Rs 17,000 crore in the next five years for development of existing airports; primarily for new terminal building, existing terminal upgradation, runway improvement and extension, air navigation services improvement etc.”

In addition, plans are afoot to expand Bhubaneswar Airport with an investment of Rs 200-300 crore in the next two-three years to develop new air traffic control (ATC) tower, another cargo complex, runway upgradation to facilitate operations of wide-body aircraft.