RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Union Minister for Civil Aviation and Steel Jyotiraditya Scindia laid the foundation stone for a new terminal building at Rajahmundry Airport on Sunday. The new terminal will be constructed for Rs 350 crore. The terminal building will be developed to an extent of 17,029 square metres, which is 400 times the size of the existing building. After expansion, the total area of the terminal building will be 21,094 sq.m.
The expansion is expected to serve 2,100 passengers during peak hours and 30 lakh passengers annually, which is 10 times the existing capacity. Speaking on the occasion, Scindia said the Union government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is not working for incremental development, but for monumental changes.
“The new terminal building is a testimony of it,” he added. The newly-upgraded terminal building of the airport will play a crucial role in the all-round development of the State at large and Rajahmundry in particular, as it has rich heritage and cultural offerings, he opined. “Coupled with a new terminal building, the city will become a popular destination for tourists, the Union minister added.
Rajahmundry is currently connected to three cities -- Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru -- and handles 126 flights per week. The new terminal building will meet the requirements of the airport as the existing infrastructure is not adequate to meet the rapid growth in passenger traffic. Further, Scindia said the Central government will also establish a new cargo terminal if there is demand.
Highlighting the progress of civil aviation in Andhra Pradesh, Scindia said, “Before 2014, the State had only four airports, but now it has six. Air traffic movement in the State has increased from 388 in 2014 to 1,162 at present. The two new greenfield airports being built at Bhogapuram and Nellore will soon be ready for the public.” Elaborating on the outlook for the Indian aviation sector, he explained that there will be 200-plus airports, especially in Tier-2 and 3 cities, in the country by 2030.
“Additionally, we will be carrying more than 40 crore passengers, thus establishing our mandate of becoming the biggest aviation market,” he pointed out. Stating that the new terminal will be completed in 18 months, Rajamahendravaram MP Margani Bharat Ram opined that the expansion would not only be beneficial for tourism and hospitality but also for the development of commerce and trade sectors in the city.
Asserting that the State government has been focusing on the development of the Godavari region under the leadership of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, he urged the Union minister to address pending issues about the AP State Reorganisation Act.
Rajanagaram MLA Jakkampudi Raja, BJP State chief Daggubati Purandeswari, Airport Authority of India chairman Sanjeevi Kumar, East Godavari district collector K Madhavi Latha, joint collector N Tej Bharath, municipal commissioner K Dinesh Kumar were also present.
SALIENT FEATURES
Thermal insulation and energy efficiency
LED lighting
Rainwater harvesting system
Sewage treatment plant
Designed to be
energy-efficient