Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on Sunday (December 22) announced that a new terminal building will be constructed at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore within three years to enhance passenger capacity and improve facilities.
Naidu also inaugurated a new tower-cum-technical block for air traffic control, as well as a garbage disposal plant at the airport.
Speaking at the event, Naidu shared that the Ministry of Civil Aviation is already planning for the new terminal building, which is expected to be completed before the end of 2028.
“At present, 40 lakh people can travel through the Indore airport every year, but due to increased civil aviation activities, it is insufficient. Hence, I assure the people of Indore that the airport will have a capacity to cater to 55 lakh passengers in four months,” he said.
The Minister also mentioned that modifications will be made to the existing terminal building to increase its capacity, and the Ministry is considering extending the runway.
“The runway at the airport is currently 2,800 metres long. We want to increase it to 3,400 metres so that even a big aircraft with Code-E can land here. We have sent a letter to the state government and requested that it give us land adjacent to the airport as soon as possible,” he said.
Naidu also noted that around 90 aircraft operate daily at Indore airport, which currently offers connectivity to 21 cities across India and Sharjah in the UAE. In response to public demand, discussions will be held with airlines to establish direct flights from Indore to Singapore, Bangkok, and Dubai.
At the event, local MP Shankar Lalwani urged the government to grant Indore airport international status, pointing out that despite operating international flights for five years, the airport has yet to be officially recognized as an international facility.