Aircraft could be used for mass transport with a few basic policy changes. One, complete deregulation of airlines, airports and services like air traffic control, so that there is open competition among the various service providers. **Two, allowing local and state governments to operationalise the hundreds of dormant airports that dot the country.** Three, reforming the land laws in the states, so that private investors can freely decide whether to set up large or small airports, say within or surrounding the NCR, or create a new regional hub.> In an otherwise eloquent piece the same old blindspot -- about military control over airpsace and airports! I will only point out here that perhaps thought could be given to hand over suitable "dormant airports that dot the country" to the military for flight training purposes so that civil enclaves (such as Dabolim) can be vacated by them. In the process the backward areas would develop faster than they otherwise might. This would also cost much less than asking AAI to go in for costly greenfield airports far away from civil enclaves(CEs). Most important, thriving economic activity would not be disrupted at CEs (again like Dabolim) as is likely to happen by the inane rule to close CEs when the greenfield airports (like Mopa) go on stream. Going by the experience here in Goa the policy changes the author talks about may seem like a pipe dream!
