International flights to go operational at Vijayawada airport

Union Home Ministry has issued an immigration notification for Vijayawada airport, making way for the operation of international flights.

Currently, passengers from Vijayawada have to travel to Hyderabad or Chennai to catch an international flight.

The airport has a domestic terminal with nearly 31 flight movements on a daily basis. Flights are being operated to destinations such as Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Tirupati and Vizag.

The team from the ministry of home affairs' (MHA) immigration department, led by director level officer Praveen Bora Singh recently conducted an on-site inspection of the facilities at the international terminal of Vijayawada airport and submitted a detailed report to the department.

The old terminal building at the airport was transformed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) into an international terminal.

Following the notification, around 10 immigration counters, five each for arrival and departure have been set up for the international flights.