Not only airplanes, but airports are also responsible for carbon emissions in the civil aviation sector. Indian airports such as the ones in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and Vadodara have taken steps to minimise their carbon footprints. And now Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA or Ahmedabad International Airport) is also paving the way for a greener tomorrow and joining the league.
In sync with the global vision of increasing green cover, SVPIA in its current initiatives has planted over 2,000 trees of nearly 20 different species at the airport. Just before privatisation a year back, the airport had about 6,000 trees and has increased that to 8,000 with the recent addition of 2,000 trees in just one year. Adding to green cover and reducing carbon footprint, the SVPI airport has been taking up several initiatives, one of them being increasing greenery inside and outside terminal buildings. The airport has also added about 2,000 square metres of shrubs and 1,200 square metres of green cover using lawn turf.
The year 2022 started with the upgrade of the airport with nearly 100 palms, 5,000 decorative shrubs and 10,000 flowering annuals, at the outdoor areas. The indoors of terminals 1 and 2 has been uplifted with over 400 decorative planters and 2,500 plus indoor plants enhancing the indoor microclimate, respectively.
It is not only a matter of green spread, shrubs and trees at SVPIA, but also a global approach to ensure sustainable practices at all levels including the implementation of environmental standards and controls, green infrastructures, minimising noise pollution, adopting sustainable best practices, developing fuel efficiency, employing a resource conservation policy dealing with energy and water and systematic recycling.