Gannavaram Airport: Speed up new terminal works says MP Vallabhaneni Balashowri

VIJAYAWADA: Machilipatnam MP and Vijayawada Airport Advisory Committee chairman Vallabhaneni Balashowri has asked the officials to take measures for the speedy completion of the works of Vijayawada Airport permanent terminal.

He expressed displeasure over the slow progress of the construction works.

Balashowri chaired the advisory committee meeting organised at the Airport in Gannavaram on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion, he said the permanent terminal building works are underway at a cost of Rs 420 crore.

He said the main civil works were completed. However, he expressed dissatisfaction over the balance works being executed at a sluggish pace. He asked the officials to complete all works within nine months.

He asked the officials to arrange foreign exchange facility and duty free shopping facility in the airport. The officials told him that the two facilities will be provided by August 15, 2023.

Balashowri said flight serves to Dubai and Kuwait will be increased from the existing two services in a week from Vijayawada Airport to the Gulf countries.

He said efforts were on to operate services from Vijayawada to Varanasi and Vijayawada to Sri Lanka. The Machilipatnam MP said the passenger traffic increased by 17 per cent in the last nine months.

He said automatic traffic flow management system was inaugurated in January, 2023. He said special entrance for VIPs was set up recently and new apron works at a cost of Rs 31.16 crore will be completed soon.

Airport Advisory Committee co-chairman and Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas, Krishna District Collector P Raja Babu, Krishna district SP P Joshua, Gannavaram MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi, Vijayawada Airport Director M lakshmikanth Reddy and other officials were present.