According to Jyotiraditya Scindia, three further new airports would open in the next three years: Navi Mumbai, Noida, and Dholera

The establishment of 21 new greenfield (new) airports around the nation has received "in principle" clearance from the government. According to Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia on Thursday, the following airports are most likely to be finished in the next three years: Navi Mumbai, Vijayapura, Hassan, Noida (Jewar), Hirasar, and Dholera.

"Among these (21 greenfield airports), 11 greenfield airports, including six airports, have been operationalized in the previous three years," said Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia in a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

The 21 airports are Mopa in Goa; Navi Mumbai, Shirdi and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra; Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Hassan and Shivamogga in Karnataka; Dabra (Gwalior) in Madhya Pradesh; Kushinagar and Noida (Jewar) in Uttar Pradesh; Dholera and Hirasar in Gujarat; Karaikal in Puducherry; Dagadarthi, Bhogapuram and Orvakal (Kurnool) in Andhra Pradesh; Durgapur in West Bengal; Pakyong in Sikkim; Kannur in Kerala; and Hollongi (Itanagar) in Arunachal Pradesh across the country.

The expected completion dates of the airports at Navi Mumbai, Vijayapura, Hassan, Noida (Jewar), Hirasar, and Dholera, among the other greenfield airports for which this ministry has given "in-principle" clearance, are due within the next three years.

The schedule for airport construction, however, is dependent on a number of variables, including the purchase of the necessary property, required approvals, the elimination of roadblocks, the closing of the related airport developers' finances, etc.

Airports have grown to be the center of economic activity and have a multiplier impact on the state's economy. It is widely acknowledged that the civil aviation industry contributes to economic growth. According to a research by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), air connectivity has a 3.1 economic multiplier and a 6.1 employment multiplier.

As of February 28, 2023, 469 UDAN routes, including 9 heliports and 2 water aerodromes, connected 74 unserved and underserved airports.

By supporting Selected Airline Operators (SAOs) through concessions from the Central Government, State Governments/UTs, and airport operators to reduce the cost of airline operations on regional routes and by providing financial (viability gap funding or VGF) support to meet the gap, if any, between the cost of airline operations and expected revenues on such UDAN routes, it is intended that regional air connectivity will be more affordable.