The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other airport operators have implemented solar power plants at various airports to generate and use green and renewable energy, promoting eco-friendly energy practices. Additionally, some airports are acquiring green energy through open access. Since 2014, 73 airports have transitioned to using 100 percent green energy.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has initiated efforts to achieve carbon neutrality at airports across the country. It has organised knowledge-sharing sessions to standardise the carbon accounting and reporting framework for Indian airports and to raise awareness about climate change mitigation. Furthermore, airport operators with scheduled operations have been advised to monitor their respective airports’ carbon emissions and aim for carbon neutrality and net zero emissions in a phased approach.
Delhi Airport has been a carbon-neutral airport since 2016, adhering to the Airport Carbon Accreditation program.
India has embarked on an ambitious expansion of its aviation infrastructure, with 199 new airport projects in various stages of execution as of July 2024. As per Projects Today around Rs 1,80,000 crore will be invested in these projects. Among these, a couple of super-mega projects stand out for their scale and strategic importance. The Navi Mumbai International Airport project, promoted by Navi Mumbai International Airport Pvt. Ltd., leads the way with an investment of Rs 41,302 crore in Raigarh, Maharashtra. This project is poised to significantly enhance the aviation capacity of Mumbai, complementing the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. In Tamil Nadu, the Parandur Airport project, being developed by Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. at a cost of Rs 32,705 crore in Kancheepuram, aims to bolster the region’s connectivity and economic growth.
In the North, an International Airport & Aviation Hub project is coming up at Jewar in Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. Promoted by Yamuna International Airport Pvt. Ltd., at a cost of Rs 20,631 crore, the airport is anticipated to serve as a major aviation hub, catering to the increasing demands of the National Capital Region. In Maharashtra, the Rs 17,000 crore, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje International Airport project at Pune, by Pune Purandar International Airport Pvt. Ltd. aims to alleviate the congestion at Pune’s current airport.
The new airport projects highlight India’s strategic efforts to expand its aviation infrastructure, poised to drive economic growth, enhance connectivity, and support the nation’s increasing travel demands over the next couple of years.
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