Flying High Under BJP Government: Party Promises To Double Functional Airport Count To Over 200 By 2024

In its recently released manifesto, BJP has promised to expand aviation access across the country by doubling the number of functional airports by 2024.

“In 2014 there were 65 functional airports and there are a total of 101 functional airports today. In the next five years, we will double the number of functional airports,” the manifesto says.

In September 2018, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Pakyong airport in Sikkim, India’s hundredth operational airport. It is also the first ever aerodrome in the state.

Handling Both Demand And Supply

The airport was constructed under the NDA government’s flagship scheme in the aviation sector, UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik). A first-of-its-kind programme in the world, it aims to make flying affordable to the common man.

It tackles the supply side by providing connectivity to unserved and under-served airports of the country, and the demand side is handled by giving seat subsidies to passengers.

From its current seventh position, India is expected to become the third-largest aviation market in the world by 2024, says IATA. International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the industry body representing airline companies around the globe.

The NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi also successfully completed the first airport privatisation programme in 13 years in February.

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