The Indian American

32 THE INDIAN AMERICAN OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2018 KISHANGARH, INDIA he prime selfie spot for residents of this central Indian city isn't its decaying 16th century royal fort or its world-famous marble market. It's the terminal at Kishangarh Airport - a small, low-slung building that offers a new gateway to the world. Air travel from the dusty boom town has become cheaper than renting a car, Devi Singh, a 77-year-old retired soldier from Kishangarh, told his friends over tea one recent morning, discussing the $35 no-frills one-way fare to New Delhi that launched last month. "Even the sweepers can afford to fly now," he said. Kishangarh is one of 34 airports opened in the past 18 months in India, whose avia- tion sector has exploded in the wake of massive economic growth. In September, the civil aviation minister said $60 billion has been budgeted for 100 more in the next T Airports open all over India, as its aviation industry rides an economic boom By Vidhi Doshi A SpiceJet plane prepares to land at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai on July 10, 2017. Photo: Bloomberg photo by Dhiraj Singh India