Construction work on the Rs 353 crore project to expand the Surat airport is in full swing and the new terminal building is expected to be ready for use by 31st December 2022 as 58% of the work has already been completed, the Civil Ministry said on Wednesday.

The expansion project being executed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) includes extension of the existing terminal building from 8474 sqm to 25520 sqm.

In addition to the extension of the terminal building, work on the expansion of the apron from five parking bays to 18 parking bays and construction of parallel taxi track (2905 m X 30 m) is also in progress.

After completion of the project, the new state-of –the-art extended terminal building    will be capable of handling 1,200 domestic and 600 international passengers’ during peak hours making the annual passenger capacity of 2.6 million, the ministry’s statement explained.

Equipped with all modern passenger amenities, the terminal building will have 20 check-in counters, five aerobridges, In-Line baggage handling system, five conveyor belts for arriving passengers.  The new terminal building will also have a parking area with capacity for 475 cars.     

The terminal will be a 4-Star GRIHA rated energy efficient building with sustainability features. The interiors of the terminal building will reflect the art and culture of Gujarat.

Air traffic has been rising in Surat as it is the financial capital of Gujarat and hub for diamond and textile business in India.

Surat Airport caters to a large number of business community across the country, as it is directly connected to 16 cities across the country. The new world-class terminal building of the airport will enhance the connectivity to this industrial City, giving impetus to the overall growth of the region.