Varanasi: With even the Union ministries of civil aviation and surface transport not being able to find a way for the desired expansion of the runway of Lal Bahadur Sahstri International Airport at Babatpur, it is surprising how the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was allowed to launch its project of converting the Varanasi-Lucknow highway into a four-lane road.
After upgrading the status of Babatpur airport, its new terminal was inaugurated on November 15, 2010. However, the fate of the proposal of increasing the length of its runway and area of apron and hanger remained hanging in balance as the ministry of civil aviation could not find a way out as it is flanked by a railway line and the Varanasi-Lucknow highway. As shifting of the railway track was nearly impossible, the ministry had started thinking towards other option of expanding the runway towards the opposite side. Contacted on Wednesday, airport director S K Mullik admitted that correspondence had been done with NHAI in this regard, suggesting it to divert the Varanasi-Lucknow highway in two-three km area to pave the way for the expansion of the runway.
04/10/12 Rajeev Dikshit/Times of India
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After upgrading the status of Babatpur airport, its new terminal was inaugurated on November 15, 2010. However, the fate of the proposal of increasing the length of its runway and area of apron and hanger remained hanging in balance as the ministry of civil aviation could not find a way out as it is flanked by a railway line and the Varanasi-Lucknow highway. As shifting of the railway track was nearly impossible, the ministry had started thinking towards other option of expanding the runway towards the opposite side. Contacted on Wednesday, airport director S K Mullik admitted that correspondence had been done with NHAI in this regard, suggesting it to divert the Varanasi-Lucknow highway in two-three km area to pave the way for the expansion of the runway.
04/10/12 Rajeev Dikshit/Times of India
