The Centre is reportedly considering amendments to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) Act, 1994. If approved, private firms could build shopping complexes, conference centres, and commercial offices around airports. This is part of a magnified effort to privatise 11 airports in tier-II cities such as Varanasi, Amritsar, Raipur, and Bhubaneswar. The civil aviation ministry aims to complete the privatisation of the 11 identified airports by the end of the next fiscal year, signaling a major shift in India’s airport infrastructure policy. The proposed amendments aim to unlock prime urban land around airports for multi-use commercial projects while maintaining restrictions on hazardous and polluting activities, it has been learnt from the report. A key aspect, according to the ET report, is still under discussion is whether privatised airports like Delhi and Mumbai will be granted the same land-use freedoms. The Centre is considering keeping land usage provisions open-ended rather than specifying permitted activities, thus providing greater flexibility to future airport operators.