Major metro airports to have capacity to handle 500 million passengers: Bansal

New Delhi: Airports in major metro cities are expected to have a total passenger handling capacity of 500 million in the coming years, said Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal on Tuesday. "We have all ingredients in place, creating a huge demand in domestic and international sectors," said Bansal as he highlighted the growth potential of the country's aviation sector. He also stated the expansion and growth of airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru.

'Airports at metros to have handling capacity of 320 mn'

Airports at these metros will soon have a total passenger handling capacity of around 320 million in the near future, Bansal noted.

With Jewar airport in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Navi Mumbai airport in Maharashtra, both are expected to be opened by the end of next year, the total passenger handling capacity at airports at major metros will be around 500 million in the coming years.

Challenges

"There is no missing piece in the puzzle," Bansal said in the context of the growth. According to him, the challenges for the sector are in setting up world-class infrastructure ahead of the curve, supplies from the airframe and engine makers, and lack of MROs (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facilities.

(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Google News. Click here to follow. Also, join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram. You may also follow us on Twitter here and stay updated.)