Annual day of Airports Authority of India celebrated with enthusiasm in New Delhi

New Delhi [India], April 2 : The 28th Annual Day of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) was celebrated on April 1 in New Delhi with full enthusiasm by the employees in a function held in the national capital.

The Airports Authority of India was constituted by an Act of Parliament and came into being on April 1st, 1995 by merging the erstwhile National Airports Authority and the International Airports Authority of India.

The merger brought into existence a single orgzation entrusted with the responsibility of creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure both on the ground and in airspace in the country.

Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Road Transport and Highways, General VK Singh (Retired), Secretary of Ministry of Civil Aviation, Rajiv Bansal, and the Chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI), Sanjeev Kumar graced the occasion.

General VK Singh, the chief guest of the event congratulated the employees of AAI for achieving tremendous growth in India's aviation sector.

"Before 2014 there were only 70 airports but now in the last nine years, even more airports have been operationalized. Almost more than 70 airports have come up after 2014," he said.

The chairman of AAI, Sanjeev Kumar in his speech stressed enhancing airport infrastructure and air connectivity in the country.

"This year also, we would be inaugurating new Greenfield airports in Hirasar, in Ayodhya and we are also building a new Greenfield airport in Dholera in Ahmedabad," Kumar said, adding, "We noted that in the coming year almost one project every month, we will be able to dedicate to the nation. So, almost 12-15 projects will be completed this year. We are starting new work in Jammu, Udaipur, Bagdogra and many more places."

The guest of honour, the secretary of the ministry of civil aviation, Rajiv Bansal congratulated AAI for achieving a record target of 5000 cr of capital expenditure (capex) in the financial year 2022-23.

He commended the efforts of AAI in reviving the aviation industry after a long haul owing to COVID-19.

The celebrations were filled with music and dance performances by renowned singers and artists.

The chairman on the 28th annual day celebrations of AAI conveyed his best wishes to the employees.

He affirmed that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will continue to endeavour for the growth of the civil aviation industry in the country.

"We have been doing good work and working as a team right from bottom to top and top to bottom. And we all would continue to work as a team for achieving the goals of the honourable Prime Minister for taking the civil aviation sector to every nook and corner of this country and making the growth of the civil aviation sector faster and faster" he said.

Airports Authority of India is a Mini Ratna Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, and manages more than 130 airports in the country.