Airport Maintenance Costs AAI Rs 796 Cr In FY24

Marking a 20 per cent jump in expenditure, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) spent nearly Rs 796 crore on the maintenance and repair of 101 airports in the country during the financial year 2023-24, according to the official data from the Centre. The trends indicate a rise in the expenditure towards these activities since FY 2021-22.

The data revealed that expenditure in FY 2023-24 saw a jump compared to Rs 663.42 crore spent in FY 2022-23. In FY 2021-22, AAI spent nearly Rs 535.02 crore on such maintenance and repair works, according to the data provided by the Civil Aviation Ministry in Rajya Sabha.

The information has been provided for 121 AAI airports. As per the data, the AAI did not spend any money on the repair and maintenance of 20 airports during the year.

The information has been provided at a time when there are rising concerns regarding the repair and maintenance of airport buildings in the country. On June 28, the forecourt canopy at terminal 1D Delhi airport collapsed due to the rains.

In the same month, the kerb area canopy also got torn at Jabalpur airport, followed by a similar incident in Rajkot a few days later.

On 29 July, the Minister of State (MoS) for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol submitted a written response in the Rajya Sabha where he stated that all airport operators have been given instructions for conducting a third-party audit of airport buildings’ structural stability along with the infrastructure.

The MoS stated, “All the airport operators have also been directed to carry out a thorough evaluation of all civil, electrical and technical aspects of the buildings before the onset of monsoon every year.”

In order to develop, upgrade and modernise the airports, the AAI, with its public-private partnership (PPP) partners, has set aside Rs 91,000 crore for capex from 2019-20 to 2024-25.