AAI to undertake new development works at Lucknow, Allahabad

New Delhi [India], September 19 (ANI): In order to manage the growing passenger traffic in airlines, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is set to undertake new development works at Lucknow, Deoghar and Allahabad airports, and also develop a greenfield airport at Hirasar, Rajkot.

In Lucknow, the AAI plans to construct a new integrated passenger terminal building at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport with an estimated cost of Rs. 1,230 crore. The new terminal, aimed to manage the increasing passenger traffic, will be able to handle 4,000 passengers during peak hours and 6.35 million passengers per annum.

The Deoghar Airport will be developed in Jharkhand, to facilitate the joint use of civil operation up to Airbus-320 and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) operation up to C-130 type of aircraft. The work will be carried out at an estimated cost of Rs. 401.34 crore on fixed cost basis and Rs. 427.43 crore on completion cost basis.

In this regard, an MoU was signed between the Government of Jharkhand, the DRDO and the AAI in March, 2017. As per the MOU, there will be a financial input to the tune of Rs. 50 crore by the Government of Jharkhand, Rs. 200 crore by the DRDO, and the balance cost by the AAI.

In Allahabad, a new civil enclave will be developed by the AAI at an estimated cost of Rs. 125.76 crore, and the new terminal will be made operational before the 'Ardh Kumbh Mela' which is to be held in January 2019.

The AAI will also take up the work of development of the greenfield airport at Hirasar, Rajkot in Gujarat on Build, Operate and Maintain basis.

The Government of Gujarat provided the land free of cost and proposed the construction of the said greenfield airport in order to meet the growing traffic demand potential of Saurashtra region, as the present airport lacks the capacity to handle the growing passenger traffic. (ANI)