MAHAKUMBH-2025 PREPARATIONS: New airport lobby design ready for Prayagraj airport

A comprehensive security plan has been devised to ensure the safety of the lobby while maintaining smooth access for security personnel.

PRAYAGRAJ Work has begun to spruce up Prayagraj airport and expand its capacity to handle passengers and aircraft so as to give it an international look. Currently, the lobby can host up to 350 passengers simultaneously. Following the forthcoming renovations and expansion, this capacity will more than double, allowing over 650 passengers to sit together, according to airport officials.

Prayagraj airport at Bamrauli (HT Photo)

A comprehensive security plan has been devised to ensure the safety of the lobby while maintaining smooth access for security personnel. This strategy enables constant surveillance of the lobby, ensuring 24X7 security oversight without inconveniencing passengers physically.

The ambitious expansion of Prayagraj airport is set to be completed within just 15 months, in anticipation of Mahakumbh-2025. The construction of a new building connecting to the main terminal has already commenced. The current airport terminal occupies an area of 6,700 square meters, which will soon expand to 9,500 square metres.

Once the expansion is finalised, the airport will have the capacity to accommodate seven large and eight small aircraft simultaneously. Efforts are underway to give the airport a globally appealing facelift, complete with modern amenities, at an estimated cost of ₹173 crore. The project is being handled by a company that has previously executed similar construction projects at Pune, Madurai, and Cochin airports, as stated by airport officials.

Prayagraj airport, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2018 in preparation for Kumbh-2019, has consistently grown in significance since its inception. Over 22 lakh passengers have availed its services to date, and in September 2023, it witnessed a record-breaking footfall of more than 55,000 passengers, marking the highest monthly turnout in the four years of its operation.