Delhi airport operator challenges government over Hindon airport operations

GMR Group-led Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has taken legal action against the Union government, alleging a breach of aviation policy by allowing commercial flights at Hindon Airport in Ghaziabad.

The lawsuit, filed at the Delhi High Court on 10 March, claims that the government violated the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA) guideline that prohibits the establishment of new greenfield airports within 150 kilometers of an existing civilian airport.

A Reuters report said the move comes after Air India Express commenced commercial operations from Hindon Airport on 1 March, offering direct flights to Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Goa. This development made Air India Express the first airline to operate from two airports in the National Capital Region (NCR).

This is not the first time DIAL has challenged the government over airport operations in the NCR. In January last year, DIAL filed a similar lawsuit after the government allowed commercial operations at Hindon. The Centre countered that DIAL had no right to object after losing the Jewar Airport bid. The court sided with the government, allowing Hindon to continue commercial operations.

According to DIAL, the MCA policy aims to prevent redundant infrastructure and protect the economic viability of existing airports. Hindon Airport, located about 30 kilometers from Delhi Airport, was established as a civil enclave at the Hindon Air Force Station to support the government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN).

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) operates the airport, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated on 8 March 2019.

The Indian Air Force granted permission for a civil enclave at Hindon in August 2017, leading to the construction of a terminal spanning 5,425 square meters with a capacity to accommodate 300 passengers per hour. Commercial operations began in October 2019 under the UDAN scheme, with Air Heritage operating a nine-seater Super King Air B350 aircraft to Pithoragarh.

The government has maintained that Hindon Airport is not a new greenfield facility, as it has been operational as a civil enclave since 2017. Additionally, the government argued that DIAL’s right of first refusal was exhausted when it lost the bid for Jewar Airport in Noida to Swiss firm Zurich AG.

DIAL’s latest legal move has sparked debate within the aviation sector, with industry experts questioning the rationale behind opposing operations at a facility aimed at boosting regional connectivity. As the case proceeds in the Delhi High Court, the outcome could significantly affect airport operations and regional aviation policies in the NCR.