Vijayawada International Airport Director M. Lakshmikantha Reddy said the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had spent about ₹1,000 crore in the last seven years on infrastructure development at the airport with emphasis on expanding the runway from 7,500 feet to 11,000 feet, which facilitated the handling of Code-E aircraft (Code-F is the largest recognised aircraft dimensional code).
Addressing mediapersons on the sidelines of an interactive session organised by the AP Chambers of Commerce & Industry Federation (AP Chambers) on its premises here on Friday, Mr. Lakshmikantha Reddy said construction of the new terminal was approved in 2019, and environmental clearance was obtained for the same in 2020-21, but work was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is likely to be completed by the end of 2024, he said, adding that the new terminal would be used for domestic travel and the existing building for international flights.
Mr. Lakshmikantha Reddy said that the license for air cargo handling was recently awarded to a new operator after the previous contractor failed to discharge their obligations. Outbound cargo movement would begin in a month’s time, he said, noting that the airport has been granted special permission to transport shrimp.
“Vijayawada airport serves as a feeder airport to Hyderabad, and there is potential for launching two more flights to New Delhi and operating a direct flight to Mumbai. But since New Delhi and Mumbai airports are already running at full capacity, it is difficult to get slots for flights from Vijayawada. In spite of this, direct flights were recommended to Mumbai and Kolkata. The permission being given for the development of airports in PPP mode augurs well for Vijayawada airport to become more vibrant,” he added.
AP Chambers president P. Bhaskara Rao said the number of flights operating from Vijayawada daily has come down to 42 from 62 for various reasons that needed to be looked into and acted upon in order to realise its potential. Besides, the airport modernisation was taking a long time, he said.
He stressed the need to have direct flights to major destinations such as Mumbai, Varanasi, Kolkata and Ahmedabad and more flights between Delhi and Vijayawada. The timings of Vijayawada - Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam - Vijayawada flights were not convenient, he stated, adding that international connectivity has to be given a boost in right earnest as the airport got international status way back in 2017.
