Page 64 - Construction_Opportunities_Sep_2026

INFRASTRUCTURE TICKER TAPE

INDIA TO ADD 100 NEW AIRPORTS IN 10 YEARS UNDER MAHARASHTRA FAST-TRACKS CHAKAN INFRA OVERHAUL
`30,000-CRORE UDAN EXPANSION Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has directed
India will add 100 airports over the next ten years under the Maha Metro to examine the feasibility of new Metro routes linking
Centre’s regional connectivity scheme UDAN, with a planned Chakan with Rajgurunagar and Talegaon with Shikrapur.
outlay of Rs 30,000 crore, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Shinde issued the instructions after reviewing ongoing road repair
Naidu has said. works in Chakan recently.
The minister was in Ahmedabad recently to launch the country’s The visit followed concerns raised by industrialists over poor road
third ‘hub and spoke’ operation, an arrangement meant to conditions, congestion and inadequate infrastructure.
let travellers from different parts of the country reach overseas The state government has appointed the Pune district collector
destinations through Indian hub airports. The wider aim is to turn as the nodal officer to coordinate works involving MIDC, PMRDA,
India into a global aviation hub. PWD and MSIDC.
Pointing to the expansion so far, Naidu said, “While there were Shinde said the authorities were pursuing short-, medium- and
74 airports in 2014, today we can proudly say that India’s map long-term measures, with several infrastructure projects expected
features 166 airports. Going from 74 to 166 set a record for the to be completed within 10 months.
country. Over the last 12 years, we completed work on a new He also directed officials to speed up work on the Talegaon-
airport or a new terminal roughly every 40 days.” Shikrapur road and ensure better coordination among agencies.
On the road ahead, he said, “We plan to spend approximately The government is also addressing waste management, water
`30,000 crore over the next 10 years to build 100 new airports.” supply, drainage, footpaths and street lighting in the industrial
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had area.
in March cleared the Modified UDAN scheme for a ten-year run For immediate road repairs during the monsoon, authorities are
from FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36, with Central budgetary support of using polymer techno patches, M60 ready-mix concrete and
`28,840 crore. precast panels.
Calls for air connectivity, the minister said, now come from small Meanwhile, MSEDCL has strengthened power infrastructure in
towns, Himalayan districts, remote pockets and island territories Chakan by commissioning 10 MVA transformers at the Bhamboli
rather than only large cities. “Everywhere, people are asking and Hyundai substations.
when an airport will be constructed in their area. This is the voice Further upgrades, including additional feeder bays and
of modern India. We are listening to it, formulating policies transformers, are planned to support the area’s growing industrial
accordingly, and moving forward,” he said. demand.
The tougher task, Naidu noted, lies in linking these airports well Maha Metro has already prepared a detailed project report (DPR)
rather than in building them. The hub model began at Varanasi for a Metro corridor between Chakan and Nashik Phata.
and Amritsar, and Ahmedabad was chosen next given Gujarat’s The proposed study will examine extending this route to
large overseas community. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel Rajgurunagar and developing another Metro line along the
and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi were present. Talegaon-Shikrapur corridor.

64 CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES|SEPTEMBER 2026