Andhra Pradesh Magazine English May 2016 | Page 16

VIJAYAWADA AIRPORT in expansion mode

T

cargo.

he Airports Authority of India (AAI) has drawn
up plans for constructing a new integrated
terminal building complex at Vijayawada
(Gannavaram) airport in about five years to
accommodate larger volume of passengers and

It will be spread in nearly 81,000 square meters and
have facilities on a par with international airports. A
master plan for it has been drawn by the AAI. The existing runway has already been extended from 1,745
metres to 2,286 metres and decks have been cleared for
making it longer by 730 metres in the near future.

4.1-km-long runway

Madhusudana Rao said depending on viability,
Vijayawada airport would have a 4.1 km-long runway
which can handle even Airbus 380 planes but that it is a
long–term proposition.
“The airport is poised for speedy growth with more airlines set to start their operations in the coming months.
The night services to Delhi to be shortly launched by Air
India will have a multiplier effect”, he observed.

Vijayawada Airport Director G. Madhusudana Rao
observed that an Instrument Landing System (ILS) that
helps in safe landing of aircraft under poor visibility conditions was installed.

New flights on Vijayawada-Kadapa-Tirupati-Hyderabad
and Vijayawada-Tirupati-Visakhapatnam sectors are on
the anvil from April. The number of aircraft movements
is set to go up from 24 per day to 36 by April-end.

The airport is at present capable of handling direct
flights to some international destinations as per bilateral
agreements but it will take time as necessary clearances
have to be obtained from the AAI and other departments
/agencies concerned.

Union Minister for Civil Aviation P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju,
who inspected the work sites of the new interim airport
terminal building and parking bays on the premises of
the Vijayawada airport at Gannavaram, advised the officials and the construction agencies to speed up the work
and complete both the projects before the Pushkarams.

Flights can be immediately launched to select foreign
countries through Hyderabad or other metro cities.
Construction of the new terminal building spread over
13,000 square meters and a small cargo building is

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under progress. Space would be provided to the Customs
Department and immigration checks soon.

He also suggested to the officials not to compromise on
the quality of work and expressed satisfaction over the
progress. Raju directed district Collector Babu A. to

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

MAY 2016