• G.K.Chaukiyal
• Prof. V.K.Paul

In last two decades, Indian aviation has witnessed unprecedented growth in traffic. Since 1953, only two National air carriers were allowed to operate. The monopoly of Government Airlines, Indian Airlines (Domestic carrier) and Air India (International flag carrier), ended when in 1994, the Government of India repealed the Air Corporation Act and allowed Private Operators to provide air transport services. Introduction of Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) in 2003-04, led by Air Deccan and strong economic growth during this period, further fuelled air traffic growth in India. However, the growth triggered demand for increase in capacity of airport infrastructure due to congestion resulting into low level of service at airports. This paper examines the gap between demand and supply in airport infrastructure in the last two decades in India, the challenges faced in creating capacity to handle the growing air traffic and lesson learnt in first phase of rapid growth to augment the capacity in second phase of emerging traffic demand due recent policy initiatives in terms of New Civil Aviation policy-2016 and subsequent launch of Regional Connectivity Scheme, by government of India, which is resulting into additional airport infrastructure requirements and ordering of aircrafts by almost all major airlines and new entrants. While the first phase of traffic growth in early 2003-04 was mostly triggered by introduction of low cost carriers and growing economy of the country, the second phase of growth was triggered by lower oil prices, aircrafts ordered by the airlines and further liberalized approach introduced through new civil aviation Policy. However, there is a need to learn lessons from the time and cost overruns in implementation of airport infrastructure projects experienced in first phase for efficient project management in the second phase of traffic growth being observed in the sector.

Low cost carriers (LCCs), Capacity deficit, Mega projects, Public Private Partnership, Cost and time overrun, Regional Connectivity Scheme, Commercial Outsourcing model, Viability Gap Funding (VGF).

"AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES FOR REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY IN INDIA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 12, page no.663-672, December-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1812900.pdf

"AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES FOR REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY IN INDIA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 12, page no. pp663-672, December-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1812900.pdf