Mumbai : The Government will develop 35 non-metro airports to create an aviation grid on the lines of power transmission grid, Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said today.

"We have identified 35 non-metro airports for development as first class airports. The Planning Commission has already given its nod to the proposal and a feasibility study has been undertaken which is expected to completed by 2008," Patel told reporters here.

The minister said Government was also looking at developing intra-state, intra-region air links besides creating air strips at various small locations.

"I am going to speak to the Chief Ministers of various states in this regard," Patel said.

Presently, there are 400 airports in the country, many of which are not utilised as per their capacity.

He said that developing these airports into regional aviation hubs is one of the most easily possible solution to strengthen country's domestic air links.

Patel pointed out that the detailed draft on the initiative had been included in the upcoming Aviation Policy, which is to be tabled in the Parliament soon.

Asked whether the Government would be delivering special incentives for investors to take up such projects, he said there was no proposal to incentivise these projects.

"However, the model we are working on for these projects will be attractive enough for investors to participate," he said adding that there would also be special ATF pricing policy for airlines operating on these airports.