LUCKNOW The Chaudhary Charan Singh Worldwide Airport is ready for a large transformation, with its long-term enlargement plan envisaging an funding of round ₹10,700 crore and capability rising to 38 million passengers a yr — practically seven occasions its pre-Covid visitors.

In response to officers, the undertaking was offered by Lucknow Worldwide Airport Restricted (LIAL) roughly two months in the past, with completion anticipated inside the subsequent 10 years. The enlargement roadmap features a new built-in terminal, runway extension, cargo and logistics hub, MRO amenities and a proposed fourth terminal. The masterplan envisages 104 plane stands, together with amenities for passenger, cargo and common aviation operations.
The airport’s present capability has already come beneath stress from rising visitors. Earlier than Covid, it dealt with a peak 5.43 million passengers in 2019-20, whereas its present T1 and T2 have capacities of 0.8 million and three.5 million passengers yearly, respectively. Its 2,744-metre runway can deal with wide-body Code-E plane, however payload restrictions restrict their operations due to runway size. The airport at present operates two passenger terminals and a single 2,744-metre runway.
The size of the proposed enlargement displays Lucknow’s rising significance as an aviation gateway for Uttar Pradesh. On the coronary heart of the enlargement is the New Built-in Terminal Constructing (T3). The proposed terminal has a Section-I built-up space of over 1.15 lakh sq. metres, with one other 33,529.88 sq. metres deliberate in Section II. The undertaking value is listed at ₹2,394 crore, together with ₹1,786 crore for the brand new built-in terminal constructing.
The brand new terminal is designed round quicker passenger processing and higher automation. Its Section-I plan gives 37 standard check-in counters and 13 self-bag-drop amenities, in addition to 14 automated tray-return techniques—9 for home and 5 for worldwide passengers. The profit will probably be faster passenger processing, decreased queues, smoother baggage dealing with and higher capability for each home and worldwide operations.
Deliberate biometric authentication, automated baggage dealing with, digital wayfinding, IoT-based passenger-flow monitoring and sensible safety techniques are additionally aimed toward decreasing ready time and bettering operational effectivity.
The enlargement can be aimed toward turning Lucknow right into a long-haul aviation and logistics hub. The airport plans to increase the runway to facilitate wide-body plane operations, whereas an automatic cargo and logistics hub is proposed to advertise worldwide commerce by way of the town.
In response to an airport spokesperson, “The broader growth plan consists of relocation of the UPCAD and ATC tower, shifting AAICLAS cargo amenities, exterior connectivity enhancements and growth of MRO amenities. The airport estimates that the event at its final stage may generate round 75,000 direct and oblique jobs.”
“The important thing takeaway is that Lucknow airport’s enlargement shouldn’t be merely a terminal-capacity undertaking: the ₹10,700-crore roadmap seeks to show the airport into a bigger passenger, long-haul, cargo and aviation-services hub for Uttar Pradesh,” he added.