A portion of the under-construction terminal at Rajahmundry Airport, located in Madhurapudi, partially collapsed on Friday. The iron grills reportedly fell during the ongoing development work. However, no workers were present at the time of the incident and major injuries were averted.
Yet, the incident has raised questions about the safety measures and oversight in the development of the airport’s infrastructure.
According to local residents, the collapse took place due to inadequate quality supervision during the construction process, as per a report on ABP Desam.
Rajahmundry Airport Expansion
According to Press Information Bureau (PIB), the expansion project was initiated in December 2023. The expansion is being carried out with an aim to address the increasing congestion at the airport. The new terminal is being built at a cost of Rs 350 crore, covering an additional 17,029 square meters, bringing the total terminal area to 21,094 square meters. The upgraded facility is designed to handle 2,100 passengers per hour and accommodate 30 lakh passengers annually.
The expansion includes modern amenities include 28 check-in-counters, four conveyor belts in arrival (conversion of the Existing terminal into arrival), eight X-Bis machines, three aerobridges, adequate number of F&B and retail outlets, facilities for divyangjans have also been incorporated as per Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan norms and parking area for 600 (approx) cars, reported PIB.
Rajahmundry Airport operates flights connecting Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru with 126 flight movements per week, as per PIB in 2023.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has highlighted the significance of the upgraded terminal in boosting the region's connectivity and promoting Rajahmundry as a cultural and tourist destination. The airport's improved infrastructure is expected to contribute to the state's economic and social development.
(With inputs from ABP Desam— It is a Telugu platform of ABP News. For more news, commentary and latest happenings from Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, follow https://telugu.abplive.com//amp)