Aviation Minister Naidu On AI-171 Crash, Delhi T2 Upgrade And Aiming For 350 Airports By 2047 | Exclusive
Addressing the AI-171 crash, Minister Naidu assured that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is conducting a "thorough investigation."
After Delhi T2 Airpport's upgrade, Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu has outlined an roadmap for India's aviation sector. In an exclusive chat with NDTV Profit, Naidu has confirming plans to transform Delhi into an international aviation hub with a T2 terminal upgrade, setting a massive long-term target of 350 airports by 2047.
Addressing the AI-171 crash, Minister Naidu assured that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is conducting a "thorough investigation."
He noted that the process is strictly "following ICAO procedure" and that the Ministry cannot provide a fixed timeline for the report, as "Giving a timeline will not do justice to the investigation." The Minister concluded the update by highlighting a major domestic technological achievement, revealing that for the first time, the black box has been decoded in India, calling it a "great feat."
The Minister emphasised the strategic importance of the T2 terminal upgrade at Delhi Airport, describing it as "important and strategic" for creating an international aviation hub.
Acknowledging the sharp increase in traffic at India's largest airport, Naidu stated that the Delhi airport is targeting a 120 million capacity, which is dependent on the completion of the upgrade. The expansion of T2 alone is expected to provide an additional 15 million capacity.
He noted the passenger-centric focus of the government’s efforts, "Whatever we're doing, we're keeping the passenger at the core," with a goal to improve standards to meet global aviation standards.
Looking at the long-term vision for the country’s infrastructure, Minister Naidu highlighted the government's established expertise in building aviation infrastructure. Reflecting on the past decade, he stated, "We've built so many airports over the last 10 years that we've become experts. You give us a land anywhere, we will build a state of the art airport."
He noted that India currently operates 164 airports, but the ultimate goal is to bring in 200 more airports into the kitty by 2047, aiming for a total of 350 airports by that year. The Minister identified the future challenge as moving beyond construction to procurement: "The challenge is to how to bring in more aircraft to India."
