To increase air connectivity to tier-II and tier III cities in the country, the Union government has decided to set up 50 new low-cost airports this year and 50 next year. The government is striving to achieve this within the deadline set up by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The government's main objective is to give boost to civil aviation sector in the country, said KN Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation on September 1.    

The State-owned airport operator Airports Authority of India (AAI), would set up the low-cost airports in 50 cities in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra, Srivastava said while inaugurating the ASSOCHAM 6th international conference on Civil Aviation & Tourism in Delhi. Civil Aviation ministry has called a meeting of ministers and secretaries of states to finalise policy of regional connectivity. The meeting is scheduled for September 10 in New Delhi, said Srivastava    

Navi Mumbai, Pune, Goa and Patna airports are facing capacity constraints. On the other hand, Chennai do not suffer from any capacity constraint today but in the next 6-7 years and can also face capacity constraints and that is the only reason that the Government is considering Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, Srivastava said.