PM Modi's Cabinet Approves Varanasi Airport Expansion, To Get New Terminal, Extended Runway, And Green Initiatives

The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the expansion of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi at an estimated cost of approximately Rs 2,870 crore.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced this during a briefing on Wednesday (19 June).

The upgrade of the brownfield airport will encompass the construction of a new terminal building, apron, runway extension, parallel taxi track, and associated works.

According to an official statement, "The estimated financial outlay is Rs 2,869.65 crore, aiming to increase the airport's passenger handling capacity from the current 3.9 million passengers per annum (MPPA) to 9.9 MPPA."

The new terminal building, covering an area of 75,000 sqm, is designed to accommodate 6 MPPA and handle 5,000 peak-hour passengers (PHP).

Nine firms submitted bids for the civil construction work of the new terminal building after the Airports Authority of India (AAI) opened technical bids in February, according to a report by Themetrorailguy.

Its design aims to reflect the rich cultural heritage of the city. The project also involves extending the runway to 4075m x 45m and constructing a new apron to park 20 aircraft.

Additionally, the airport will be developed as a green airport, focusing on environmental sustainability by incorporating waste recycling, solar energy utilization, and other sustainable measures to reduce its carbon footprint throughout the planning, development, and operation stages.

Besides this, the cabinet has also approved the establishment of a major port at Vadhavan near Dahanu in Maharashtra.