Vadodara: Vadodara BJP MP Dr. Hemang Joshi has requested Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to start international flights from Vadodara Airport. Dr. Joshi also submitted a formal written request to the cabinet minister for the same.

This request comes eight years after the new Integrated Terminal Building was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016. The new terminal, built at a cost of Rs 160 crore, has enhanced passenger facilities but still lacks international flight services. 

Dr Joshi emphasised that starting international flights will benefit the business community and residents of six Central Gujarat districts, including those visiting the Statue of Unity in Kevadia.

Vadodara Airport’s runway can accommodate large cargo planes like Gajraj (IAF) and Hercules. Recently, seven flights, including two international ones, were diverted to Vadodara due to bad weather and low visibility. During the COVID-19 period, the airport also handled international flights, demonstrating its capability to manage such operations.

Vadodara airport is located at just two hours distance (113.7 km) from Ahmedabad’s SVPI international airport and both are connected with expressway and ring-road. The people of Vadodara mostly chose SVPI airport for international travel. Vadodara is also located at 3 hours distance from Surat where international flights to UAE are operated. Due to this sandwitched geographical position, the operators refrain from starting international flights from Vadodara, and chose SVPI airport in Ahmedabad also in order to get better traffic regularly. However Dr. Joshi believes that Vadodara airport has standalone potential to attract sufficient occupancy if international flights are started, and such flights if launched would also attract passengers from Ahmedabad and Surat apart from Vadodara itself and nearby regions. DeshGujarat