Madhya Pradesh High Court Directs Government to Enhance Flight Connectivity from Gwalior Airport

PIL by CREDAI President prompts court to demand action on UDAN and Madhya Pradesh Civil Aviation policies for improved air travel

In a significant development, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Union and State governments to take immediate steps to enhance flight connectivity from Gwalior's Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Airport. This directive emerged from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Shri. Sudarshan Jhavar, the President of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India (CREDAI), Gwalior, highlighting the suboptimal use of airport infrastructure despite substantial investments.

The court, with Justices Anand Pathak and Anil Verma presiding, has emphasized the importance of implementing the UDAN Policy, introduced in 2016, and the Madhya Pradesh Civil Aviation Policy, 2025. These policies aim to facilitate low-cost flights and improve air connectivity for small and remote locations across India, thus serving the common man's interests.

The petitioner pointed out that despite a significant investment of approximately 500 crore rupees in the airport infrastructure at Gwalior, only three flights currently operate from this facility. This, he argued, is insufficient given the demand for air travel from Gwalior residents who frequently travel to various parts of the country. The petitioner stressed that the issue is not the lack of passengers but rather the absence of a concerted effort to initiate new routes and regular flights.

The court has instructed the counsel for the Union of India and the Madhya Pradesh State Government, including Deputy Solicitor General Shri. Praveen Newaskar and Additional Advocate Generals Shri. Vivek Khedkar and Shri. Ankur Mody, to provide detailed instructions on how the policies will be implemented to address the connectivity issues. The court expects these instructions within three weeks, post which the matter will be further deliberated.

This directive from the Madhya Pradesh High Court underscores the need for the government to take proactive measures to ensure that the investments in airport infrastructure translate into tangible benefits for the citizens, aligning with the goals of national and state aviation policies.

Bottom Line:

Public Interest Litigation filed by President of CREDAI highlighting poor connectivity of flights from Gwalior Airport despite substantial investment in airport infrastructure.

Statutory provision(s): UDAN Policy 2016, Madhya Pradesh Civil Aviation Policy 2025

Shri. Sudarshan Jhavar v. Union of India, (Madhya Pradesh)(Gwalior)(DB) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2807213