The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has officially scrapped plans to expand Surat Airport, withdrawing its request for 25.33 acres of land that was earlier earmarked for critical infrastructure upgrades. This abrupt reversal casts uncertainty over the long-term aviation prospects of one of Gujarat’s fastest-growing cities.
Originally envisioned under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in December 2023 with the Gujarat government, the expansion project included the installation of a CAT-1 Instrument Landing System (ILS) and the deployment of an ASR-MSSR radar facility to enhance air traffic control. These upgrades were considered essential for boosting the airport’s operational reliability and safety standards. However, in a recent communication to district authorities, AAI cited “minimal disruptions due to fog” as the rationale for shelving the project. Officials stated that with only three diversions recorded in the past year, investing nearly ₹215 crore in visibility-enhancing infrastructure was economically unjustified. The decision has effectively halted the land acquisition process, which involved 20 private landowners and significant compensation payouts.
Despite the AAI’s cost-benefit argument, aviation experts have raised red flags about the move. The airport’s Runway 22 remains shortened by 615 metres due to unresolved encroachments, limiting operational flexibility. Experts argue that poor visibility, particularly during the monsoon season and industrial haze from nearby Hazira-Sachin zones, poses consistent safety risks. Without CAT-1 systems, pilots are left with limited guidance during adverse weather, heightening the chance of delays or diversions. The cancellation also affects the ASR-MSSR radar project, a modern surveillance system designed to improve aircraft tracking and air traffic management. Scrapping this component could strain the airport’s existing systems as passenger volumes increase and aircraft movements become more frequent.
For Surat, which has positioned itself as a key textile and diamond hub with rising domestic and international travel demand, the decision is viewed by some as a strategic misstep. Critics believe that under-investing in essential airport technology contradicts India’s broader push for regional air connectivity and infrastructure resilience under programmes like UDAN and Gati Shakti. Adding to concerns is the state of urban growth around the airport. Illegal constructions have encroached upon crucial flight paths, and with regulatory inaction, long-term aviation safety could be compromised. This situation reflects broader challenges of urban planning and infrastructure enforcement that must be addressed for airports in fast-growing tier-2 cities.
Although the AAI may have found the fog-related statistics insufficient to justify immediate spending, the evolving nature of climate, visibility patterns, and growing flight operations could make the absence of such safety systems a liability in future. For now, the city’s ambitions to become a key air hub remain partially grounded.
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