Air cargo operations supported by state-of-the-art facilities began Tuesday from Ojhar Airport near the industrial city of Nasik in India’s western state of Maharashtra. The first services are being offered by a joint venture between Halcon—a joint working group of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) and Container Corp. of India—and Clarion Solutions, which is part of shipping and logistics conglomerate Transworld Group.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) has asked for government approval to spend 200 billion rupees ($4.12 billion) in the next five years to modernize and stimulate traffic at airports across the country.

The senior flight attendant, at the gate for an early morning Air India flight to Mumbai, stood with hands folded, eyes cast downward, the traditional welcome smile missing. Anxiety over delayed monthly salaries and their very existence in the state-run airline was evident on the faces of most of the crewmembers—anger and frustration evident in their responses to passenger requests.