Cabinet Approves Rs 1,677 Crore Srinagar Airport Expansion

The Union Cabinet's Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a Rs 1,677 crore expansion project for the Civil Enclave at Srinagar International Airport, aimed at modernizing infrastructure and boosting passenger capacity in Jammu and Kashmir. The decision, announced following a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will transform the facility located in the Budgam airbase, about 12 kilometers from Srinagar city, into a more efficient aviation hub over the next two years.

The project, to be executed by the Airports Authority of India, addresses longstanding congestion at the airport, which currently handles around 4.47 million passengers annually but was designed for only about 3 million. Peak-hour capacity stands at 950 passengers, often leading to long queues, overcrowded waiting areas, and delays during tourist seasons and heavy snowfall. Once completed, the upgraded terminal will span 71,500 square meters, incorporating the existing 20,659 square meters, and support up to 2,900 passengers per hour and 10 million annually. The expansion covers 73.18 acres and includes no changes to the existing 3,658-meter runway, which remains under Indian Air Force...