India announces New Airport Policy - by Narasimhan
Government of India has waived need for Indian Cabinet approval for new airports that are located beyond 150 KM of an existing airport. Airport establishing however will continue require the permission from the Ministry of Civil Aviation as well as Home besides other ministries where the project requires clearance. This spells out the policy vacuum necessitated by the establishing of additional airports at Bangalore and Hyderabad. This policy also puts a brake on the Uttarpradesh Government’s move to put up an airport at some 70 KM from Delhi to help the air passengers visiting Agra, Jaipur and Delhi as a cabinet approval would be required. In another significant relaxation the cabinet permitted establishing of airports for cargo or non scheduled flights or helicopters with the approval from the Director General of Civil Aviation, waiving the need to secure the approval of civil aviation ministry.
All these will mean additional airports to reduce time in securing requisite licenses. They will help the private jet owners to look at putting up airports of their own, a move that will create additional high end jobs and services associated with airport running. For the investors it will be a good opportunity to target India centric consultancy in realizing the private airport for cargoes or executive jets as the case may be.