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Informist, Monday, Mar. 17, 2025

 

NEW DELHI – The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airports Authority of India on a plea by Delhi International Airport Ltd. against the government's decision to start commercial flight operations from Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad on the outskirts of Delhi. The high court will hear the case next on Apr. 28. 

 

Delhi International Airport, a joint venture between GMR Airports Ltd., Airports Authority of India and others, had on Jan. 7 withdrawn its petition and told the court that it would make a representation to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airports Authority of India against the decision. However, after the Airports Authority of India rejected its plea, Delhi International Airport moved the high court again. 

 

The petitioner had challenged the government's decision to allow the Airport Authority of India to convert the Indian Airforce Station in Hindon, a defence aerodrome, into a full-fledged airport and commence scheduled commercial flight operations. The petitioner said the government's decision is against its policies which mandate that no greenfield airport will be allowed within an aerial distance of 150 kilometres of an existing airport. 

 

"The impugned decision, impugned proposal and impugned communication also fail to consider that already a greenfield airport (Noida International Airport) is being developed at Jewar with ultimate passenger capacity of more than 100 mppa (million passengers per annum) within 150 km of the IGIA (Indira Gandhi International Airport). Thereby, the aggregate passenger capacity of about 250 mppa is being created in the NCR (National Capital Region), which is projected to be sufficient till 2050," the petitioner had said. Further, Delhi International Airport said the government's decision would not only be detrimental to the existing airport in Delhi but would also render the upcoming airport at Jewar and the Hindon Air Force Station unviable as it would result in three weak airports, with all competing and eating the revenues of each other.

 

The petitioner said that it has now come to its knowledge that Air India Express has started regular commercial flights from Hindon Airforce Station to other locations from Mar. 1, which would have serious business repercussions for Delhi International Airport. The petitioner has sought the court to set aside the government's decision to allow commercial operations at Hindon Airforce Station. Further, the petitioner has sought directions to the government to shift back all flights operating under the Regional Connectivity Scheme from Hindon Airforce Station to the India Gandhi International Airport. 

 

On Monday, the shares of GMR Airports ended 0.2% lower at INR 74.17 on the National Stock Exchange.  End

 

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Saji George Titus

 

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