: The 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 cargo.
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.
Speaking to The Hindu , 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.
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.
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 under progress. Space would be provided to the Customs Department and immigration checks soon.
4.1-km-long runwayMr. 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.
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.
