New Delhi, June 19 (IANS): The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday gave its nod to the proposal of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the development of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi including the construction of a new terminal building, apron extension, runway extension, parallel taxi track and allied works, according to an official statement issued after the meeting.

The estimated investment in the project will be Rs 2,869.65 crore for enhancing the passenger handling capacity of the airport to 9.9 million passengers per annum (MPPA) from the existing 3.9 MPPA. The New Terminal Building, which encompasses an area of 75,000 sqm is designed for a capacity of 6 MPPA and for handling 5,000 Peak Hour Passengers (PHP). It is designed to offer a glimpse of the vast cultural heritage of the city.

The proposal includes extending the runway to dimensions 4,075m x 45m and constructing a new apron to park 20 aircraft.

Varanasi airport will be developed as a green airport with the primary objective of ensuring environmental sustainability through energy optimisation, waste recycling, carbon footprint reduction, solar energy utilization, and incorporation of natural daylighting, alongside other sustainable measures throughout the planning, development, and operational stages.