The Centre has cleared the first stage of a plan to turn 10 existing airstrips in Madhya Pradesh into full-fledged airports, with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) set to begin work at five locations and Singrauli identified as the immediate priority.
The first phase will cover Singrauli, Sagar, Neemuch, Chhindwara and Mandla. Khandwa, Ratlam, Mandsaur, Umaria and Shahdol will be taken up in later stages. State authorities have already submitted proposals covering all 10 sites.
Union Aviation Minister KR Naidu said Singrauli would be developed first because of its distance from the state capital. He also confirmed that the Centre would provide full support to the programme.
The airport upgrades will be undertaken through the expanded UDAN regional connectivity scheme, which has been extended until 2036. The extended programme targets the development of 100 additional airports across India over the next decade.
Madhya Pradesh currently has eight operational airports, while projects are under way at Ujjain and Shivpuri, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said during a review meeting with Naidu.
Ujjain’s airport project is particularly significant ahead of the Simhastha 2028 festival, when the city is expected to see a substantial increase in visitors.
Additional Chief Secretary (Aviation) Sanjay Kumar Shukla said air travel in the state had recorded a recent increase, with more than 50,000 passengers using state airports over a six-month period.
AAI has been instructed to speed up preliminary work at Ujjain and Shivpuri and begin surveys and initial upgrades at the five priority sites. The next stage will involve land-related clearances, environmental assessments and detailed technical surveys.
The state is also linking its aviation expansion with tourism and emergency services through initiatives including PM Shri Vayu Paryatan Seva, PM Shri Heli Paryatan Seva and PM Shri Air Ambulance Service.
