Augmented Vizag airport to be ready by year-end

Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam airport is bracing for expansion to meet the traffic growth which is all set to rise consistently in future. From new parking space to sheds at VIP gates and multiple flight parking bays, the development works are being carried out at a cost of Rs 90 crore, which will be completed by year-end.

As there is a rise in the number of visitors accompanying the passengers to the airport, the authorities concerned have recently wrapped up the expansion work of the parking space by 30 per cent further.

In addition, canopies were installed at terminal building to ensure protection for passengers arriving and departing from adverse weather conditions.

Since there are no signboards on the national highway indicating the way to the airport, illuminated signboards are soon going to dot both the routes stretching from the city to the airport and Gajuwaka to the airport.

At present, the area extending up to 20,000-sqmt in ground and first floors at the terminal building is utilised for international and domestic arrival and departure. But plans are afoot to increase it further by 10,000-sqmt. Keeping the growing traffic flow in view, the airport authority is adding the parking bays from the present six to another half a dozen bays which will be connected to the runway.

"With this, efficiency of traffic handling will be enhanced. 12 flights can take off and land at a time and the rotation time can be streamlined. Safety and security clearances for the N5 taxi track have already been approved. We are waiting for the commissioning approval," elaborates M Raja Kishore, airport director. The development works, the airport director adds, were supposed to be completed a few months back. But due to the pandemic-induced lockdown, it got delayed. However, the authorities concerned exuded confidence that steps will be taken to accelerate the pending works and ready them by year-end.