airports and rnways growth in infrastructure in independent india
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As India’s domestic aviation grows at a speedy and steady pace, the market having peaked for the 12th time in 13 months this July, it posted a double-digit growth at 18.3%. This upsurge requires a massive increase in airport capacity through a combination of enhanced productivity of existing assets and investment in new infrastructure. The challenge ahead is unprecedented in scale and complexity. Not only has such a task never been attempted in India but, aside from China, no other aviation market in the world is expected to grow so much and so fast. Planning, design and execution will all be critical, fret analysts.
Current airport capacity is presently estimated at 317m. However by March 2018 itself, traffic reached 308.7m. ‘There is concern that India’s airport system could exceed its structural capacity by early 2022, said Sydney-based think tank Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA). According to the India Brand Equity Foundation, by 2036 India will have around 480m passengers, greater than Japan and Germany combined. In a report on ‘Future of AAI’ , CAPA recently called for the creation of an Airports Commission of India to assess the efficiency of airport assets and evaluate how to maximise productivity and capacity. Comparing capacity with traffic forecasts will enable the Commission to determine where and when new infrastructure will be required and to take steps to ensure that this is developed before constraints arise, it said. With no entity in India with point-guard responsibility for strategic planning for the Indian airport system, the establishment of an independent Commission will be responsible for preparing a strategic vision for the airport system, supported by a national master plan. The AAI is ‘over-burdened with multiple responsibilities for airport operations, construction and rehabilitation, airspace management, regional connectivity, cargo handling and various other activities,’ it says.
The Government is waking up, albeit too late. Taking cognisance of India’s fading airport infrastructure unable to keep up with the annual growth of domestic aviation, it is finally looking at planning of airports with a long term 15-20 year perspective “instead of a 3-5 year horizon,” said Jayant Sinha Minister of State for Civil Aviation.
Already there is concern that Indian carriers will have a backlog aircraft deliveries of at least 1,000 by 2026. Where they will be parked its already proving to be a pain. With major airports constrained for space, the situation is already restricting capacity growth at Mumbai International Airport which faces issues of expansion as the delayed 20-year Navi Mumbai airport that was to add capacity to India’s commercial capital, limps towards laying a foundation stone. Mumbai International Airport, besides having constrained parking for business jets that has let its service standards fall, also is now known to refuse slots to airlines wanting to start or increase services to it. ‘There is an urgent need for 500 parking bays to be constructed over the next five years, to accommodate planned aircraft inductions. This demand will continue into the future, it will be a continuous and expanding requirement,’ said CAPA. A report by Routesonline, ranked Bengaluru airport as the second fastest growing in the world. This is no longer seen as a feather in one’s cap!
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