The central government is preparing an ambitious plan to expand India's aviation network, with around 100 new airports proposed over the next decade at an estimated investment of Rs 30,000 crore. The initiative is aimed at making air travel more accessible, particularly for people living in smaller cities and underserved regions.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the proposed airports will be developed under the government's Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) UDAN — Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik. He made the announcement while inaugurating India's third 'hub and spoke' operation at Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat.
The planned expansion is expected to strengthen connectivity between smaller cities and major aviation hubs, allowing passengers from regional locations to access domestic and international destinations more conveniently.
Ahmedabad gets third hub-and-spoke operation
Naidu inaugurated the new hub-and-spoke service from Ahmedabad airport in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi.
The model is designed to connect passengers from smaller cities and different parts of the country with major airports, where they can conveniently board onward domestic or international flights.
According to Naidu, the hub-and-spoke initiative was first introduced at Varanasi and Amritsar, where it received a positive response. The government is now seeking to expand the model to other major airports to improve connectivity and make air travel more seamless for passengers from regional centres.
Operational airports more than double since 2014
Highlighting the transformation of India's civil aviation sector, Naidu said the number of operational airports in the country has increased significantly over the past 12 years.
India had 74 operational airports in 2014, while the number has now risen to 166. The minister said the expansion represents a major transformation of the country's aviation infrastructure.
He also pointed out that, on average, a new airport or airport terminal has been completed approximately every 40 days during this period.
Naidu said the expansion achieved so far should be viewed as only the beginning, with the government aiming to take air connectivity deeper into smaller towns and remote regions through UDAN.
Modified UDAN gets Rs 28,840 crore allocation
The expansion plans come after the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the launch and implementation of the Regional Connectivity Scheme – Modified UDAN in March this year.
The modified scheme has a total financial outlay of Rs 28,840 crore, backed by budgetary support from the central government.
The proposal to develop 100 additional airports over the next 10 years is expected to complement this broader effort to strengthen regional aviation infrastructure.
With the government focusing on new airports, expanded routes and hub-and-spoke connectivity, the initiative could significantly widen access to air travel and bring smaller cities closer to India's major economic centres and international aviation gateways.
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