The Union Cabinet has approved the proposalsubmitted by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the development of theLal Bahadur Shastri International Airport at Varanasi. The Union Cabinetchaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal forconstruction of a new terminal building of the airport, expansion of apron(aircraft parking space), extension of runway, parallel line for taxis, andother allied words.

Presently, the passenger handling capacityof the airport is 3.9 million passengers per annum (MPPA). After thedevelopment work, the passenger handling capacity of the airport will increaseto 9.9 million passengers per year. The proposed works are expected to costapproximately INR 2,869.65-cr.

According to the proposal approved, a newterminal building covering an area of 75,000 sq. metres will be constructed forthe airport. The capacity will be 6.0 million passengers per year, while thecapacity will be 5,000 passengers (PHP) during peak hours.

The proposal also proposes to extend theairport’s runway by 4,075 metres by 45 metres and also to set up a new apron topark 20 aircraft. The airport will be developed as a green airport under whichthe airport will be used to its full potential to ensure environmentalsustainability. Primary-level goals include recycling waste, reducing carbonemissions, the use of solar energy and the use of natural light during the day.Other sustainable measures will also be adopted during the planning,development, and implementation phases of the airport.