Lucknow, June 12: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the civil aviation sector in Uttar Pradesh is expanding rapidly. The state government is continuously working to strengthen air connectivity through the development of new airports, construction of terminal buildings and expansion of existing airports. According to the progress report of the Civil Aviation Department, significant progress has been recorded in the Gorakhpur, Agra, Kanpur, Aligarh, Moradabad and Shravasti airport projects.
Gorakhpur Airport expansion
In view of the increasing number of flights at Gorakhpur Airport, the state government has decided to develop a new civil terminal. For this purpose, an MoU was signed in June 2025 between the Government of Uttar Pradesh, the Airports Authority of India and the Ministry of Defence for the transfer of 42.14 acres of Indian Air Force land. Under the project, the work related to the relocation of assets has been almost completed. At present, an average of 12 flights are operating from the airport.
Agra Airport development
For the construction of a new civil terminal at Agra Airport, 52 acres of land had already been made available, while an additional 92.50 acres of land has also been acquired. The construction work being carried out by the Airports Authority of India has reached approximately 60 per cent physical progress.
Kanpur Airport terminal and expansion
Under the agreement between the State Government and AAI, 50 acres of land was provided for Kanpur Airport, where a new civil terminal was developed at a cost of approximately ₹150 crore. The terminal has already been inaugurated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Currently, four flights are operating from the airport. A proposal for approximately 100 acres of additional land for the expansion of the terminal complex is now under consideration.
Aligarh Airport expansion
The development work of Aligarh Airport was completed in 2024. The state government has now decided to undertake its major expansion. For this purpose, ₹738.60 crore has been approved for the acquisition of 275.74 hectares of land. Most of the land has already been purchased, while the acquisition process for the remaining land is underway.
Moradabad and Shravasti airport projects
The development of the Moradabad airstrip into an airport was completed in 2024. Technical processes are now underway between the Airports Authority of India and the State Government regarding the identified land for its expansion. Work is being carried out on the verification of geo-coordinates and ensuring land availability in accordance with the master plan.
The development of Shravasti Airport was also completed in 2024 under the RCS scheme. For the airport expansion, 218 hectares of land have already been acquired against the required 226.75 hectares. Acquisition of the remaining land is in progress. An amount of ₹350 crore has been approved for the project.
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Economic impact and future objectives
The state government's objective is to connect different regions of Uttar Pradesh through improved air connectivity, thereby promoting tourism, industry, investment and employment opportunities. These investments in the civil aviation sector will provide new momentum to the state's economic progress and regional development.
