VIJAYAWADA: The Airport Advisory Committee (AAC) on Thursday set a strict deadline of Dasara (October) or a maximum of November 2026 to complete and operationalise the long-pending new terminal building at the Vijayawada International Airport in Gannavaram.
The high-level review meeting, chaired by Machilipatnam MP and AAC Chairman Vallabhaneni Balashowry along with Vijayawada MP and Co-chairman Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni), focused heavily on international flight expansion, upgrading domestic connectivity, and improving fast-track road infrastructure to capital Amaravati.
Briefing media persons after the session, Balashowry disclosed that the Union government has appointed a new contractor to expedite the terminal work, which is now progressing at a rapid pace. Highlighting international connectivity, the committee proposed launching direct flight services to Sri Lanka and Dubai.
The panel made a special pitch to bring global carrier Emirates to Vijayawada, which would establish a gateway to the US, Europe, and Africa for non-resident Indians (NRIs). Balashowry stated that the matter has already been taken up with Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu.
On the domestic front, the panel requested additional flights to Varanasi, Kolkata, Cochin (for Sabarimala pilgrims), Goa, and Ahmedabad, besides a twin morning-evening flight schedule to Mumbai.
To drastically trim commuting time to the capital city, the committee reviewed two major road connectivity plans. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) is being finalised for a 7-km, four-lane road connecting the airport directly to the Vijayawada West Bypass, which will ease travel toward Amaravati, Guntur, and Hyderabad. The proposal will soon be submitted to Union Roads Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Additionally, AAC Vice-chairman and Gannavaram MLA Yarlagadda Venkatrao stated that a separate DPR worth Rs 37.70 crore has been prepared for an alternative link road via the HCL campus to NH-16.
“This link alone will shave off 15 to 20 minutes of travel time to Amaravati,” Venkatrao said, adding that the proposal has been placed before Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Venkatrao raised the pending grievances of farmers who surrendered land for the airport 12 years ago, particularly those affected by the micro-canal and specific private layouts, demanding immediate administrative resolution.
He further alleged that land records belonging to the local Sitaramaswamy temple were manipulated during the previous regime and urged strict action against the erring officials.
Expressing displeasure over the delay in starting the Rs 12-crore landscaping works from the airport to Ramavarappadu despite the Chief Minister releasing funds, the committee directed officials to immediately develop 45,000 square metres of greenery along the stretch.
The meeting was attended by Gannavaram Airport Director Lakshmi Kanth Reddy, Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) Subrahmanyam, and others.
