Uttar Pradesh Government Aims for $2 Billion Investment in Civil Aviation.

The Uttar Pradesh government is setting its sights on attracting private investment of over $2 billion (Rs 16,000 crore approximately) in the civil aviation sector. Alongside promoting ancillary activities such as aviation training, aircraft maintenance, and aero-sports, the proposed investment will likely be utilized to develop and upgrade existing airstrips across the state.

A senior government official emphasized, "The state is focusing on facilitating the optimum utilization of existing infrastructure and investment in strategic areas." Currently, 14 state-owned airstrips have been earmarked for immediate development. Additionally, steps are being taken to operationalize 225 routes under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), a flagship initiative.

The state's plan involves upgrading airstrips and infrastructure in a phased manner. "Six airstrips including Aligarh, Azamgarh, Chitrakoot, Shravasti, Moradabad, and Sonbhadra are being upgraded to handle flights under the RCS," the official added.

Key to enabling civil aviation growth is the government's airstrip policy, which aims to provide optimal incentives for private players, particularly in aero MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) operations.

For fiscal year 2024-25, the state has allocated a budget of approximately Rs 28,000 crore for civil aviation infrastructure, covering airstrip modernization, land acquisition, and related initiatives.

The state has witnessed a significant surge in air travelers, with a 20% increase in the number of flyers recorded in fiscal year 2023-24, indicating robust growth in both leisure and business tourism.

Identifying tourism as a priority area, the Yogi Adityanath government is actively promoting helicopter taxis in major tourist destinations under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Last year, UP Tourism inked an agreement with Rajas Aerosports And Adventures to operate heliports for 30 years between Agra and Mathura.

With tourist inflow soaring by 50% to 480 million in 2023, Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a highly favored tourist destination, aligning with the government's ambitious tourism goals.

HBL