Indian aviation infrastructure needs to be fixed: IATA

New Delhi, Mar 4 (UNI) India must fix its aviation infrastructure quickly to support the growth in passenger and freight traffic, a top official at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said.

Mr Jeff Poole, IATA's director for industry charges, fuel and taxation, said India is a bright spot of opportunity for air transportation sector and ranks among the world's top six fastest growing markets.

International passenger growth is forecast at 7.9 per cent annually by 2010 while freight will expand even faster at 8.2 per cent. India's growth in 2005-06 was three times the world's average.

But the ''to do'' list for Indian aviation to fulfill its potential of being one of the world's greatest aviation market is remarkably similar to the global agenda: improve safety, increase efficiency, meet demand with cost-efficient infrastructure capacity and clearly understand the role of government.

''The weak link for India to fulfill its potential is infrastructure. India's airports are expensive and over-crowded with low service levels. The situation is most acute in Delhi and Mumbai.

Airspace is under similar capacity pressures,'' said Mr Poole.

If the problems are not solved urgently, he said, aviation's best story could become a nightmare.

When the planes arrive, they need space to land, park and to fly.

The government is wisely seeking private sector participation through public private partnership (PPP) projects to facilitate the necessary infrastructure improvements.

However, the expansion will not be a success if the PPP bidding process drives airport ownership cost to levels of an infrastructure bubble.

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