Parking crunch for planes, travellers stalls Hindon airport’s growth

Hindon airport’s bid to become a major regional hub with Metro and RRTS links is hitting turbulence before takeoff, with severe parking shortage choking both aircraft movement and passenger convenience.

The Rs 46.60-crore facility in Ghaziabad, launched under the government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-UDAN) in October 2019, is poised to gain last-mile links to the Delhi–Meerut RRTS corridor, the Metro network and expanded bus routes.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told Parliament that the Uttar Pradesh Government and the Airport Advisory Committee were working to deliver seamless transport integration to boost its catchment across the National Capital Region.

But insiders warn that no amount of flashy infrastructure will matter if the ground reality remains unchanged. The airport, operating from a civil enclave within the Indian Air Force base in Sikandarpur, has just two parking bays for planes.

In late-July, both were blocked: one by an aircraft grounded due to technical trouble, the other by a plane stranded by bad weather. With nowhere to park, incoming flights were diverted or suspended, paralysing several routes in a single day.

An official at the Hindon civil terminal admitted the airport was hamstrung by infrastructure constraints but declined to say whether this could trigger service cutbacks. Since the terminal operates out of an Air Force facility, he said, flights face multiple restrictions, including a dusk-to-dawn ban.

“Limited parking bays combined with the night-time prohibition are leading to cancellations. We could function more efficiently with at least two additional bays,” the official noted, adding that the civil aviation and defence ministries, along with the Air Force, were discussing possible expansion.

An Airports Authority of India (AAI) official also conceded operational difficulties. While cancellations occur at all airports, he said Hindon suffers more because of Air Force restrictions, with technical issues adding to the disruption.

Internal estimates suggest nine acres would be needed for expansion, including 770 sq m to enlarge the terminal.

Passenger traffic has jumped from 8,000 in 2019 to nearly 80,000 annually, underscoring Hindon’s role in easing pressure on Delhi’s IGI Airport until the Noida International Airport opens.

Space shortages extend beyond the airside. Vehicle parking is frequently full, forcing travellers to park at a distance or circle repeatedly for a slot — a problem officials admit has persisted, especially during peak hours.

Currently connected to 16 destinations, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Goa, Chennai and Patna, Hindon operates around 50 flights daily, catering to passengers from Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh. Once integrated with the RRTS and Metro networks, its reach is expected to grow significantly.

Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, the minister also said no specific timeline was provided for pending flight services, as domestic aviation in India has been deregulated since 1994, allowing airlines to select routes based on market demand and commercial viability.