Development of Varanasi International Airport | 20 Jun 2024

The Union Cabinet approved a comprehensive development plan for Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi, with a projected cost of Rs 2869.65 crore.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will oversee the project, which aims to significantly enhance the airport's passenger handling capacity.

The project involves building a fresh terminal, lengthening the runway, and enlarging the apron.
- The upcoming terminal will span 75,000 square meters, catering to 6 million passengers annually and handling up to 5,000 passengers during peak hours.
- This will showcase Varanasi's cultural heritage, providing travelers with a unique experience.
The airport is on track to transform into an eco-friendly airport by prioritizing environmental sustainability through energy efficiency, recycling waste, reducing carbon emissions, harnessing solar power, and maximizing natural light.

It was constituted by an Airports Authority of India Act, 1994 of Parliament and came into being on 1^st April 1995 by merging erstwhile National Airports Authority and International Airports Authority of India.
The merger brought into existence a single organisation entrusted with the responsibility of creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure both on the ground and air space in the country.