Gandhinagar: The Government of Gujarat and The Airport Authority of India (AAI) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of airports in the State. According to the State government, AAI will go ahead for setting up 11 proposed greenfield airports and check the technical feasibility and availability of land. MoU identified the expansion of three airstrips and AAI-run six airports in Gujarat. The State government and AAI are exploring possibilities of developing greenfield airports at Sidhpur, Vadnagar, and Kevadiya based on techno-economic feasibility and land availability.

As per the MoU signed today, the Gujarat government will provide land, power, water, fire security, and other utility services to AAI.  AAI will bear the cost of developing greenfield and brownfield airport development and expansion works and do operations, maintenance, master planning and designing.

A ten-member state-level coordination committee will be formed for the operation of MoU and related tasks. It will be headed by the Chairman of AAI. The committee will have the State government’s civil aviation secretary, revenue secretary, civil aviation director, GUJSAIL’s CEO, and other officials from AAI and the State government as members.

11 locations identified for the development of proposed greenfield airports in Gujarat are Ankleshwar, Morbi, Rajpipla, Botad, Dwarka, Dhordo, Rajula, Dahod, Ambaji, Dholavira and Palitana. Technical feasibility and land availability reports will be made by the State government and AAI for these locations.

In addition to this,, expansion proposals for Bhavnagar, Kandla, Porbandar, Surat, Vadodara, and Keshod airports that are under AAI will also be explored.  The State government is also exploring possibilities for expansion of Amreli, Mahesana, and Mandvi airports that are under the State government.

Possibilities for the development of greenfield airports at Vadnagar, Sidhpur, and Kevadiya will also be explored. DeshGujarat