Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 15 airport projects on March 10, 2024. The projects, which include revamped terminals and new airports, are valued at over Rs. 9,800 crore and aim to improve passenger amenities while strengthening India’s position in the global aviation landscape.
The most prominent of the inauguration highlights was the new Terminal 1 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, one of the busiest airports in the country. The new terminal is part of a broader initiative that includes 12 new terminal buildings in cities across India, including Pune, Kolhapur, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Lucknow, Aligarh, Azamgarh, Chitrakoot, Moradabad, Shravasti, and Adampur. These airports, along with the laying of foundation stones for future terminals in Kadapa, Hubballi, and Belagavi, will improve the country’s aviation infrastructure manifold.
The total investment in the airport projects is Rs 8,903 crore and an aggregate capacity to handle over 61 million passengers annually. The new terminals are equipped with all kinds of modern facilities, such as check-in counters, aerobridges, baggage conveyors, and LED lighting systems, to name a few, that accommodate the demands of modern travel. These sustainable infrastructures include solar power plants and energy-saving designs, targeting GRIHA certification.
PM Modi highlighted regional development by saying how small cities and towns are also witnessing the advantages of air connectivity. “Cities like Azamgarh, Moradabad, and Shravasti were once considered back. Today, they have emerged as growth hubs due to good infrastructure and other opportunities. Small cities have equal rights to airports and good highways as big metro cities,” he said while highlighting the commitment of the government to develop tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
These infrastructure projects shall have far-reaching benefits—tourism, business, education, and employment—which will keep the economy going in these regions. Modi pointed out that airport development also forms part of a whole effort that involves improvements of roadways, railways, and rural infrastructure. He dedicated to the nation several road projects worth over Rs 11,500 crore for better connectivity, which would help in alleviating traffic congestion.
Moreover, PM announced that the minimum support price (MSP) for sugarcane farmers would be increased by 8%. The MSP will now stand at Rs. 340 per quintal. He also settled pending dues with sugarcane farmers for timely and fair payments.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was present at the event, said that all the developmental efforts in the state were changing the face of the region with projects such as these and added that Azamgarh had transformed from an area considered neglected to now becoming a modern city that has made improvements in terms of healthcare, education, and connectivity.
These developments are part of India’s broader vision, creating a “Viksit Bharat,” or an India that is developed by ensuring equitable development, especially in regions that previously lagged behind.
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