Rajahmundry Airport | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
Operator | Airports Authority of India | ||||||||||
Serves | Rajamahendravaram | ||||||||||
Location | Madhurapudi, Rajamahendravaram,Andhra Pradesh,India | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 151 ft / 46 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 17°06′37″N081°49′06″E / 17.11028°N 81.81833°E /17.11028; 81.81833 | ||||||||||
Website | Rajahmundry Airport | ||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||
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Runways | |||||||||||
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Statistics (April 2024 - March 2025) | |||||||||||
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Rajahmundry Airport (IATA:RJA,ICAO:VORY) is adomestic airport serving the city ofRajamahendravaram,Andhra Pradesh,India. It is located at Madhurapudi, 16 km (9.9 mi) north from the city centre, onNational Highway 516E (NH-516E). Before modernisation, it was used byVayudoot. It is heavily used by the helicopters ofOil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and other government agencies for offshoreoil exploration operations.[4]
The airport was constructed during the British era and is spread over an area of 1,214 acres (491 ha).[5] It was served byVayudoot between 1985 and 1994 and by VIF Airways in 1995.[6] TheGovernment of Andhra Pradesh signed aMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth₹23 crore (equivalent to₹69 crore or US$8.2 million in 2023) with theAirports Authority of India (AAI) in February 2007 for modernising the airport.[4] Works on a new terminal building to accommodate 150 passengers and anAir Traffic Control (ATC) tower were completed in 2011 at a cost of₹38 crore (US$4.5 million). The terminal was inaugurated on 16 May 2012.[7]
Limited by the runway length, airlines operated smaller 70-seaterturboprop aircraft like theATR-72 and theDe Haviland Canada Dash 8-Q400. The AAI has extended the existing runway from 1,749 metres (5,738 ft) to 3,165 metres (10,384 ft) to enable landing of aircraft like theAirbus A320,Boeing 737 Max andAirbus A321, which was inaugurated by the formerMinister of Civil Aviation,Suresh Prabhu, on 12 February 2019.[8] Approximately, 800 acres have been acquired for this expansion.[7] The government is aiming to develop this airport to international standards.[9] IndiGo started Airbus A320 operations toMumbai andDelhi from 1st and 12th December 2024.[10]
To facilitate trade, connectivity, socio-economic development andtourism in the state, the airport has been undergoing stages of expansion since theAirports Authority of India (AAI) first drafted the plan for future development of the airport in 2007. The present state of the airport will not be able to cope with the rising traffic and demands in the future. After the runway extended to its present length in 2019, the airport has been proposed to be upgraded to international standards. The existing terminal was proposed to be small in area, in order to leave space for a larger terminal for serving the future requirements.[11]
In December 2023, theMinister of Civil Aviation,Jyotiraditya Scindia, laid thefoundation stone for the construction of the new passenger terminal building. The new terminal, to be developed by the AAI, at an estimated cost of ₹ 350 crore, will span an area of about 22,000 sq.m. It will have 28 check-in counters and fouraerobridges for handling Airbus A320 andBoeing 737 type aircraft, and will be able to serve over 2,100 passengers during peak hours and 3 million passengers annually, which is ten times more than the current capacity of the existing terminal, thus, making it possible for the airport to achieve the target of converting into an international airport. For improving trade, like the export of flowers and aqua products fromRajamahendravaram and adjoining regions, a cargo terminal will also be established within the area of the new terminal. An additional 17,000 sq.m. will also be acquired for further expansion in the future. The new terminal, along with the cargo terminal, are expected to be completed after 2 years of construction, by December 2025.[12][13]
Airlines | Destinations |
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IndiGo | Bengaluru,Chennai,Delhi,Hyderabad,Mumbai,Tiruchirappalli |