Flight services to Varanasi, Sri Lanka from Vijayawada in the pipeline, says Machilipatnam MP

Vallabhaneni Balashowry, Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) and others held a review meeting at Vijayawada International Airport to increase frequency of existing international services and launch new services to domestic and int'l destinations. Footfall increased by 17.2%. NITB construction to be completed in 9 months. Forex services, duty-free shops, police outpost amenities and CC cameras to be provided. Services to be launched by Aug 15.

Machilipatnam MP and Vijayawada International Airport advisory committee Chairman Vallabhaneni Balashowry said efforts are being made to increase the frequency of existing international services and launch new services to domestic and international destinations from Vijayawada.

He along with co-chairman and Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani), and others held a review meeting at the airport at Gannavaram on Saturday.

Mr. Balashowry said efforts were being made to increase the frequency of services between UAE, Kuwait and Visakhapatnam and launch new services to Varanasi and Sri Lanka. The new services would be rolled out one after the other. The footfall at the airport increased by 17.2% in the past nine months.

He asked the officials to speed up the process of resuming outgoing cargo services.

Mr. Balashowry expressed concern over the inordinate delay in the completion of the construction of the New Integrated Terminal Building (NITB) of the airport, which was taken up with ₹420 crore.

Though civil works were completed, fabrication works remained pending for a long time, he said and asked the airport authorities to complete the construction and bring the NITB into use within the next nine months.

He asked the airport authorities to arrange for forex services and duty-free shops on the airport premises.