The Gorakhpur airport is set to enhance its infrastructure with the addition of a new terminal building and the expansion of its runway. On Tuesday, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Indian Air Force (IAF), and the Government of Uttar Pradesh for developing a new civil enclave at the airport.

Under the agreement, the Indian Air Force will provide 44 acres of land for the construction of a modern terminal and the runway expansion, while the state government will offer an equivalent parcel of land at another location as compensation.

The land exchange is expected to facilitate the airport’s infrastructure upgrade, with construction work likely to begin after the monsoon season.

This project forms part of a broader Rs 9 billion investment initiative supported by the central government, aimed at transforming the airport to meet international standards. Although the airport is owned by the IAF, its civil operations are overseen by the Airports Authority of India. The planned development will convert the facility into a high-tech aviation hub.

The upgraded airport will be equipped with advanced navigation systems such as DVOR and DME to support all-weather flight operations. The new terminal will be considerably larger and capable of accommodating up to 10 aircraft at a time. In 2024–25, the airport served around 8.7 lakh passengers and recorded more than 5,600 aircraft movements.

News source: Hindustan Times