Question : Airports without Flight Operations

(a) whether a number of airports in the country are without any flight operations, if so, the details thereof for the last three years and current year, State/UT-wise;

(b) the reasons for the lack of no flight operations from such airports;

(c) the expenditure incurred in developing such airports over the above period;

(d) the details of the abandoned airports made operational by the Government during the said period, State/UT-wise;

(e) whether the Government proposes to make operational some more abandoned airports during 2015-16 and if so, the details thereof, airportwise; and

(f) the expenditure incurred on the maintenance of abandoned airports during the above period, airport-wise?

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Dr Mahesh Sharma)

(a) : The list of operational airports and civil enclaves of Airports Authority of India (AAI) where no schedule flights are operating is enclosed as Annexure-I. List of Non-operational airports and civil enclaves is enclosed as Annexure-II.

(b) : Flight operations in domestic sector have been deregulated and the airlines are free to operate anywhere in the country subject to compliance of Route Dispersal Guidelines. However, airlines plan their flight schedule on a specific route/cities based on market demand, commercial viability and as per their company policy.

(c) : The details of expenditure incurred in such Airports where no schedule flights are operating is given in Annexure-III.

(d) : Details of abandoned airports made operational are as under:
- Jalgaon Airport in Maharashtra
- Gondia Airport in Maharashtra
- Kadapah Airport in Andhra Pradesh
(e) : Yes, Madam. AAI has accepted the proposal to operationalize Tezu Airport in Arunachal Pradesh for operation of ATR-72 type of aircraft.

(f) : The details of expenditure incurred in maintenance of abandoned airports is given in Annexure-IV.