Urbanization and globalization are the key driving forces today. In India, unplanned
urbanization results in urban sprawl leading to significant changes in peri-urban
landscape. Among various factors, location of big infrastructures is a major cause for
sprawl. Moreover, cities undertake huge infrastructure projects to boost their potential.
An infrastructure that boosts urbanization and globalization is airport. In most Indian
cases, airports are placed outside the cities and, gradually and haphazardly, city grows
to the airport. Airports interest some land-uses to their surroundings and discourage
others. Consequently, airport-oriented development (AOD) comes into picture. AOD is
a newer spatial notion where airport-related development occurs in the vicinity while
efficiently connecting other locations. Spatial interaction between airport and urban
planning is a crucial area to explore, specifically for India as it has high growth rates in
aviation and urbanization. The study provides an understanding of urban structure with
respect to airport for Tier-II cities. It reviews UDAN (Regional Connectivity Scheme). The
study proposes AOD as a potential source of adhesion and driver of growth in making
more efficient urban systems