The new terminal building of Kolhapur Airport in Maharashtra is likely to be ready by March 2023, with more than 60 per cent of work completed today.

Work on upgrading the airside facilities is completed. A new Air Traffic Control Tower is also being constructed to cater for future traffic growth. A parking area with a capacity of 110 cars and ten buses are also part of the development activities.

Considering the tremendous passenger traffic growth at the Kolhapur airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has undertaken the work of developing the airport for enhanced capacity.

The development project includes:

• Constructing a new terminal building.

• Strengthening the existing runway.

• Extending the runway.

• Constructing a new apron and isolation bay.

The new terminal building is being constructed in an area of 4,000 sqm and will be able to process 300 passengers during peak hours.

The Terminal will be equipped with all modern passenger amenities with ten check-in counters. The building will be a Four-Star GRIHA-rated energy-efficient building with sustainable features.

The giant archways at the front façade of the new terminal building are influenced and derived from the commonly used arches in the heritage structures like Maharaja Palace, Bhavani Mandap, and Panhala Fort of Kolhapur city.

Kolhapur Airport has been identified for RCS operations under the UDAN scheme and is presently connected to Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai and Tirupati.

Recently the Airport Aerodrome license has been upgraded to 24/7 flight operations.

Kolhapur city is situated on the banks of the Panchganga river and is surrounded by Sahyadri mountain ranges. It is a city known for its historical forts, temples and royal places of erstwhile royals.

“The new world-class terminal building of the airport will enhance the connectivity to Kolhapur, boosting the tourism industry of the region,” the Ministry of Civil Aviation said.