Gorakhpur airport expansion to feature new terminal and runway

Gorakhpur Airport will undergo a ₹900 crore renovation, including a new terminal, runway expansion, and 24-hour operations.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Indian Air Force (IAF), and the Government of Uttar Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 24, 2025, to expand Gorakhpur Airport by ₹900 crore. As part of the agreement, the IAF will transfer approximately 42 to 44 acres of land to AAI to support the airport’s civil development, with a corresponding land swap arrangement to meet the IAF’s operational requirements elsewhere.

The proposed extension calls for the building of a new terminal, an enhanced runway, apron, and taxiway, as well as the installation of advanced navigational systems including DVOR and DME. This will allow for all-weather flight operations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, instead of the present 9 p.m. limit. The new terminal is designed to accommodate up to 10 aircraft at once and will boost the airport’s passenger handling capacity from 270 to 2,500 passengers per hour, allowing it to handle up to 200 flights per day.

To further assist this growth, the proposal calls for a new four-lane road from Nandanagar, as well as a roundabout and an underpass. The infrastructure renovation also includes passenger facilities, such as a 1,400-car parking facility. The project is planned to considerably improve regional air connectivity, with potential new connections to cities including Chennai, Pune, Jammu, and Varanasi.

In fiscal year 2024-25, the airport handled more than 8.7 lakh passengers and 5,600 aircraft movements. Once completed, Gorakhpur Airport would be one of Uttar Pradesh’s main aviation hubs, competing with major airports in Lucknow and Varanasi. Plans are also being considered to link the airport with rail infrastructure, thus expanding its position as a multimodal transportation hub.