Puducherry Airport Set for Major Expansion to Boost Regional Air Connectivity

The Union Government has sanctioned a master plan for the development of Puducherry Airport on a large scale with a view to making it an important regional air hub. Central to this would be the runway extension from 1,500 meters to 2,300 meters, allowing narrow-body aircraft flights such as the Airbus A320. The step would help greatly in increasing regional connectivity under the UDAN scheme.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, during his address in the Rajya Sabha, assured that the expansion was intended to serve increasing passenger needs and facilitate air travel in under-served areas.

The project involves the expansion of the runway from 30 to 45 metres to facilitate safe operation and sufficient turning radius for larger aircraft. Furthermore, the airport will receive significant infrastructure improvements:

A new terminal building

Construction of taxiway and apron

Night landing facilities

These improvements are part of a broader strategy to modernize regional airports and democratize air travel across India.

For implementing the plan, 402 acres of land will be purchased185 acres of Puducherry land and 217 acres of Tamil Nadu land, as the airport is situated close to the inter-state border. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has placed the blueprint before the Puducherry government to trigger land acquisition and secure statutory clearances. The cooperation of both state governments will be essential for the success of the project.

Puducherry Airport has restricted commercial services to Bengaluru and Hyderabad at present. Reacting to a query on increasing services to Kochi and Shirdi, the minister affirmed that India's aviation sector is deregulated, and airlines make route choices independently on the basis of commercial viability.

After completion, the new Puducherry Airport is likely to offer improved connectivity, aid in facilitating tourism and domestic businesses and support the economic growth of the region. With enhanced capacity and modern facilities, the airport will be at the center of India's civil aviation growth story.