Kadapa Airport Set for Infrastructure Upgrade To Receive Bigger Aircraft
Until now, only smaller aircraft with a capacity of around 75 passengers are operating from the airport.
Kadapa: Kadapa Airport is set for a major transformation with infrastructure upgrades that would enable larger aircraft to land and take off from the airport in the near future.
The ₹266-crore modernisation includes expansion of the runway and construction of a modern terminal building. This would enable the airport to handle bigger aircraft, such as Airbus A320. Until now, only smaller aircraft with a capacity of around 75 passengers are operating from the airport.
Kadapa Airport director P. Sujith Kumar said, “Airports Authority of India (AAI) had initiated the runway and apron expansion works in 2023. With completion of these works soon, aircraft such as Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 can now operate from Kadapa.”
The airport director disclosed that trial runs with larger aircraft have already been completed successfully. “Kadapa Airport is ready to commence operations once statutory approvals are received,” Sujith Kumar stated.
The earlier runway length of 51,570 metres has now been extended to approximately 1,13,175 metres, making it suitable for landing bigger aircraft. Airport officials indicated that commercial operations with larger aircraft could begin any time after July 15.
“At present, passenger-handling capacity is limited. But with the new terminal, we will be able to handle nearly 1,500 passengers at a time, with around 750 arrivals and an equal number of departures,” the airport director explained.
The new terminal building, to be spread over 16,550 square metres, is expected to handle more than five lakh passengers annually.
Highlighting passenger facilities, Sujith Kumar said, “We are introducing three aerobridges, so that passengers can directly board the aircraft without using buses. Baggage screening systems are being increased from three to 24, along with new contact gates.”
The airport director said they are working towards expanding aircraft parking capacity to accommodate up to seven aircraft simultaneously. In addition, they will incorporate night landing facilities.
Air traffic at Kadapa had seen moderate growth until 2019. But it slowed down after the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier, only limited services had been available to Hyderabad and Vijayawada. Currently, IndiGo operates flights connecting Hyderabad, Chennai and Vijayawada.
With Kadapa emerging as an industrial hub, particularly with the development of the Kopparthy industrial area, demand for better air connectivity is rising.
“Improved connectivity is our next focus. We are planning to expand services to cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam, which will significantly boost passenger traffic,” Sujith Kumar pointed out.
According to official data, during the 2025–26 financial year, Kadapa Airport handled 1,450 scheduled flights and recorded passenger traffic of 69,645. “We are confident that with the new infrastructure, Kadapa Airport will see substantial growth in the coming years and play a key role in regional connectivity,” the airport director stated.