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Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport

Airport serving Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lal Bahadur Shastri Airportmap
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Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport (IATA: VNS, ICAO: VEBN) is an international airport serving Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located at Babatpur,[4] 26 km (16 mi) northwest of Varanasi. Formerly known as Varanasi Airport, it was officially renamed after Lal Bahadur Shastri, the 2nd Prime Minister of India, in October 2005.[5] It acquired its position in India's major airports after more than 4 million passengers used the airport in 2024-25.[1] It is the 19th-busiest airport in India in terms of passenger movement, and the second-busiest airport in Uttar Pradesh. The airport was awarded as the best airport in Asia-Pacific in 2020 (2 to 5 million passengers per annum) by Airports Council International.[6] It is the first airport in India to make announcements in Sanskrit language.[7]

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Terminal

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Lal Bahadur Shastri statue at Varanasi Airport

An integrated terminal serves both domestic and international flights, with a floor area of 3,900 square metres (42,000 square feet).[8] The terminal features 16 check-in counters with CUTE (common-user terminal equipment), four immigration counters that double up as emigration counters, and two baggage-claim belts.[9] Besides an upper-level seating area for the aero-bridge gates, the terminal features a ground-level gate to reach other aircraft on the apron on foot, or via shuttle bus.[9] The apron can simultaneously park five narrow-body aircraft.[10] The waiting area features essential services for the passengers, besides snack stalls, a travellers' convenience store, a bookstore with a newsstand, and stores selling merchandise indigenous to Varanasi, such as Banarasi Saris; and a VIP waiting lounge.[11]

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Replica of Varanasi ghats at Varanasi Airport
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Airfield

The airport features a single asphalt runway bearing 09/27. It is 9,006 feet (2,745 m) in length, with turnarounds on both ends, and two exits to the main apron.[9] A third, seldom-used exit leads to an isolated apron for use in emergency.[9]

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An IndiGo aircraft being serviced by three mobile gangways at Varanasi Airport

Airlines and destinations

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Apron area of the airport

Future plans and projects

Due to increasing passenger traffic and aircraft movements the Airports Authority of India is planning to extend the runway to 4,075 m (13,369 ft) from the existing 2,750 m (9,020 ft). An underpass will be constructed as the expansion will intersect with National Highway 31.[27]

In November 2019, the Airports Authority of India came up with a proposal for a new second terminal, which will be completed by 2024. The total area of the terminal will be 58,691 m2 with passenger capacity of 4.5 million per year.[28]

On 20 October 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for several projects at the Airport, including the expansion of the airport runway, a new terminal building, and other allied works, totalling around ₹2,870 crore.[29][30]

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See also

References

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