Varanasi District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar inspected the mega expansion project underway at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport on Sunday.
The mega expansion project, costing ₹2,870 crore, is progressing rapidly at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport. Projects including the construction of the terminal building, an under-runway tunnel, runway extension, a parallel taxiway, and other projects are progressing rapidly.
This includes increasing passenger capacity from 3.9 million to 9.9 million per year, a new 75,000-square-metre terminal, and a runway extension. The new 75,000-square-metre terminal will have a capacity to handle 6 million passengers per year. It has been designed to reflect Kashi’s cultural heritage while combining modern amenities.
A fully air-conditioned “smart glass corridor” is being constructed to connect the old and new terminals, with travelators (moving walkways) for the convenience of senior citizens and children. The runway length is being extended from 2,750 metres to 4,075 metres. A new apron is also being built to accommodate parking for more than 20 aircraft simultaneously. Construction of a tunnel (underpass) under the National Highway (NH-31) for the runway extension is underway, albeit in a modified form, to account for technical challenges and groundwater levels.
With the completion of this mega project, the airport will be able to handle large cargo and jumbo aircraft. The airport is being developed as a completely “green airport” with energy optimisation and the use of solar energy. All work is targeted for completion by 2027.
During his inspection of the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, the District Magistrate closely inspected the work being carried out in a modified manner, taking into account the local groundwater level. He gathered information from the engineers of the executing agency and the Airport Authority officials present there and placed special emphasis on completing the work expeditiously and maintaining quality standards.
In order to expedite the development work, District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar conducted a thorough inspection of the airport’s new terminal building and the special tunnel being constructed under the runway. During the inspection, he reviewed the progress of the construction work and gave strict instructions to the officials to complete the work within the stipulated time. During the inspection, District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar observed various parts of the new terminal building.