Madhya Pradesh Plans Airport Every 150 Km, Airstrip Every 75 Km And Helipad Every 45 Km

The state of Madhya Pradesh has ambitious plans to increase its air travel infrastructure, with airports located every 150 km, airstrips every 75 km, and helipads every 45 km. Currently, the state has eight airports - located in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Khajuraho, Rewa, and Satna - while work is underway to develop Ujjain and Shivpuri airports, which would bring the total to 10.

International connectivity has already expanded, with direct flights from Indore to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The state already boasts over 20 airstrips and 220 helipads, with plans to have permanent helipads in all 230 Assembly constituencies. The central government is in the process of approving five new airports, with a particular focus on Singrauli.

Through the UDAN scheme, 10 existing airstrips are set to be upgraded to airports, including those in Singrauli, Sagar, Neemuch, Chhindwara, Mandla, Khandwa, Ratlam, Mandsaur, Umaria, and Shahdol. The government is also set to receive a new jet plane, the Challenger 3500, which is expected to cut the state's monthly air travel expenditure to a third of its current level and eliminate reliance on chartered planes.

Additionally, the Datana Matana airport in Ujjain, currently under construction, will feature an 1,800-meter runway initially, expandable to 2,700 meters, and will play a crucial role in facilitating religious tourism during the Simhastha 2028 pilgrimage.