New Delhi: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is developing Keshod Airport, Gujarat, at an estimated cost of Rs. 364 crore, which includes a 6,500 sq. m terminal building with a peak-hour capacity of 400 arriving and 400 departing passengers, and runway extension to 2,500 metres to enable operations of A320-type aircraft, the Central Government said today.

In a reply to a question from Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, said, “The project is targeted for completion by January 2027. Completion timelines depend on factors such as land acquisition, statutory clearances, and financial closure.”

On the question of flight operations from the aerodrome, the Minister stated that Keshod Airport is a domestic airport. With the repeal of the Air Corporation Act in March 1994, Indian domestic aviation has been fully deregulated. Airlines independently decide aircraft type, routes, and operations based on commercial and operational viability, subject to Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDG).

The Ministry of Civil Aviation launched the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) on 21 October 2016 to stimulate regional air connectivity from unserved and underserved airports in the country. UDAN is a demand-driven scheme, and the revival/upgradation of unserved and underserved airports is undertaken based on identification through valid bids and award of routes to selected airline operators. Improvement of passenger facilities at the airports is an ongoing process carried out by AAI and other airport operators, the reply further stated. DeshGujarat