HYDERABAD: Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the Centre will be a constructive collaborator with all stakeholders of the aviation sector and work with them for the development of civil aviation in the country.
Formally inaugurating Wings India 2022 at Begumpet Airport Scindia said the Indian aviation sector has survived a storm during the pandemic period, but it is emerging stronger, fitter, and ready to face challenges and tap the opportunities.
"The sector has shown resilience, and by next year, we will surpass the pre-covid number of domestic passengers. The international flights are going to fully resume in a couple of days, and the number of international travellers from India will also jump rapidly," he said.
Talking about the metamorphosis in the Indian civil aviation sector in the last 7 years, Scindia said that India is the fastest-growing civil aviation market in the world. The sector has been expanding across the spectrum, with the number of airports in the country going up from 74 in 2013-14 to almost 140 (including heliports and water domes). The number is likely to go up to 220 by 2024-25. There were 400 aircrafts in the country then and the number has gone up to 710 in 7 years and it is intended that more than 100 aircraft should join every year, he said.
Regional connectivity is the focus of the government, with the provision of last-mile connectivity, Scindia said while adding that UDAN is a mission to connect every single citizen and make flights accessible to the common man and more than 409 routes have been identified under the scheme.