Govt Approves Rs 2,869.65 Cr-Proposal For Varanasi Airport Development, Including New Terminal, Runway Extension: I&B Minister

The project would include the runaway and construction of a new terminal building. The emphasis of the project would be creating a green airport to minimise energy consumption.

The cabinet on Wednesday sanctioned a Rs 2,870 crore investment for the expansion of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi, announced Union Information & Broadcast Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The project would include the runaway and construction of a new terminal building. The emphasis of the project would be creating a green airport to minimise energy consumption. 

" The Cabinet has approved the expansion of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi at a cost of Rs 2,870 crores. The proposal includes extending the runway and building a new terminal building. It will be made a green airport for minimum energy consumption," Vaishnaw said. 

According to an official statement, the expansion would 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 75,000 sqm, is designed to accommodate 6 MPPA and handle 5,000 peak-hour passengers. It will also reflect the city's rich cultural heritage. 

The runway will be extended to dimensions of 4075m x 45M, and a new apron will be built to park 20 aircraft. The development plan includes sustainable measures such as energy optimisation, waste recycling, carbon footprint reduction, solar energy utilisation, and the use of natural daylight. 

The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a major port at Vadhavan near Dahanau in Maharashtra. 

The central government had further approved Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for 14 Kharif season crops. The major announcements came after its first meeting of the Union Cabinet and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) held today.