Major cities to have second airport: Prasad

New Delhi, Sep 13 (UNI) Major cities across the country may get more than one airport in future, civil aviation secretary Ajay Prasad said today.

Currently, there is a restriction on building another airport within 150 km radius.

Air traffic is rising rapidly due to new airlines with low-cost models, prompting experts to suggest multi-airports in major cities.

''The new civil aviation policy will address this issue,'' said Mr Prasad while addressing a seminar organised by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC). He said the new policy could be out by next month.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) recently suggested another airport in Mumbai, the country's busiest aviation hub. It facilitates more than 500 aircraft movements per day and carries around 50,000 passengers, resulting in handling about 37 per cent of the country's air traffic.

Airports in India handled 73.3 million passengers and 1.4 million tonnes of cargo in 2005-06. Over the next decade, the figures are expected to grow to 90 million and three million tonnes.

The government is expanding and modernising 35 airports in various cities. Feasibility reports for 25 of them have been received by the civil aviation ministry and 10 more will come within a month, said Mr Prasad.

The expressions of interest (EoIs) will be called in October, he said adding five more companies have sought government approval to start airline operations in the country.

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