Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency.  A city under numerous urban development projects. The Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport here will be expanded on the lines of Sydney Airport with central government approval. The airport area and facilities will be upgraded for Rs 2,870 crore and the runway will be lengthened, enabling the Boeing 777 and US Air Force One kind of aircraft to land.

While the roof of the new terminal building will be made of steel, granite will make up the floor. The entire airport complex will be bathed in natural light through glass and Vedic mantras inscribed in the portico. Every part of it would reflect Kashi’s historical importance from a mythological point of view. The integrated terminal would have symbols of Ganga Ghats, temples, and Sarnath. Overall, it will don a high-tech look like those seen abroad but speak Indian culture.

Varanasi Airport Completion target: 2025

The plan to expand Varanasi airport was drawn up in 2015 after Narendra Modi became MP from here for the first time as Prime Minister. But work has just begun now. In a meeting on Wednesday, the cabinet approved the Airports Authority of India (AAI)’s proposal for Varanasi airport expansion. Prior to this acquisition notification for around 300 acre of land required for airport expansion had been approved by the UP government. AAI’s plan includes the construction of the new terminal building and extension runway to 4075×45 meters in dimensions, as well as the construction a new apron for parking 20 aircraft simultaneously; along with parallel taxi track underground construction proposed too as part of this project aimed to be complete by 2025.

 

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Capacity to handle one crore passengers

According to an AAI report last year approximately four million passengers used Varanasi Airport when the current passenger handling capacity is only about 3.9 MPPA (million passengers per annum) which will be increased to 9.9 MPPA thereby taking annual capacity to handle 10 million passengers Similarly new terminal building will be designed with a total built-up area of 75,000 sqm for handling six million passengers per annum and 5000 peak hour passengers (PHP).

Highway Through Tunnel

With the runway extension, the Varanasi-Sultanpur (NH-56) highway would pass through a three-kilometer-long tunnel with aircraft landing on the surface above and vehicles passing from below. This has already been approved by NHAI (Indian National Highways Authority) in consultation with IIT experts who have proposed that it should be built in such a way that even heavy explosives do not damage it.

Villages to be Acquired

Around 300 acres of land is being acquired for airport expansion which will lead to the disappearance of Sagunha, Ghamhapur, Karmi, Vaikunthpur, Mangari, Pura Raghunathpur and Basni villages here affecting large population. The land of 857 farmers from these villages is being registered by the administration.