India to build 100 new airports in 10 years under UDAN: Naidu

India will build 100 new airports over the next 10 years under the Centre’s regional connectivity scheme UDAN, with an investment of around Rs 30,000 crore, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the inauguration of India’s third hub-and-spoke operation at Ahmedabad airport, Naidu said the country’s airport network had expanded significantly over the past 12 years.“While there were 74 airports in 2014, today we can proudly say that India’s map features 166 airports,” he said, adding that a new airport or terminal had been completed roughly every 40 days during this period.
Naidu said the government plans to build on the progress made under UDAN by investing approximately Rs 30,000 crore over the next decade to add 100 airports.The Union Cabinet had earlier approved the Modified UDAN scheme for 10 years from FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36, with a total outlay of Rs 28,840 crore, including budgetary support from the Centre.
Naidu said demand for air connectivity was no longer limited to major cities, with people in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, remote regions, Himalayan areas and islands seeking airports closer to their homes.He said the challenge now was not merely expanding airport infrastructure but ensuring effective domestic and international connectivity.
The hub-and-spoke model is aimed at connecting passengers from smaller cities to international destinations through major Indian airports. The initiative was first launched in Varanasi (June 25, 2026) and Amritsar (July 28, 2026), where it received a positive response.Ahmedabad was selected as the third location due to Gujarat’s large NRI community and strong demand for international connectivity.Naidu said the civil aviation sector was among India’s fastest-growing sectors and had the potential to generate significant economic activity and employment.He also stressed the importance of Gujarat’s role in the country’s aviation growth. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi were also present at the event.

(State Correspondent)