In a move to privatise the small airports in the country, the Union Civil Aviation Ministry has started consultations with other ministries to prepare guidelines for licensing such airports. The ministry wants to rope in private players to develop over 150 airstrips for meeting the growing demand of airways infrastructure.

According to the ministry sources, airstrips located at Pantnagar, Kamalpur, Kailashahar, Passighat, Tezu, etc. are on the priority list for development. In addition, the civil aviation ministry has received around 25 proposals from different state governments for  development of new airports. Andhra Pradesh government has asked for a new airport at Visakhapatnam. Karnataka government has identified Shimoga, Gulbarga, Hassan and Karwar. Among the other states, Maharashtra has recommended  Chakan, Shirdi and Sindhudurg.

The civil aviation ministry has already approved the construction of a new airport at Pekyong in Sikkim at an estimated cost of Rs.320 crore.