en.Wedoany.com Reported - The expansion plan for Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar, India, is awaiting approval from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), after being revised a year ago to enhance passenger convenience. The project investment is estimated at Rs 10 billion. Based on stakeholder feedback, authorities changed the original plan for separate arrival and departure facilities to an integrated terminal. The new terminal, designed with an area of 65,000 square meters, consolidates arrival and departure functions within a single building.
A recent meeting of the Airport Advisory Committee (AAC) urged authorities to expedite the integrated Terminal 3 project, noting that passenger traffic continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. The committee highlighted the urgency of expansion, observing that daily passenger numbers have repeatedly exceeded 15,000. The airport, which opened in 1962, handled 5.15 million passengers in 2025, recording its highest-ever annual passenger traffic and becoming the 13th busiest airport in the country.
The airport currently connects to 24 domestic and 4 international destinations, with 18 aircraft parking stands. Plans include adding six aerobridges adjacent to the existing Terminal 1 to support the proposed new terminal. Additionally, upgrades to the runway and parallel taxiway are planned to increase flight handling capacity to 20 movements per hour. Officials stated that land near Terminal 1 has been reserved for the new terminal, which is still awaiting approval.
Authorities expect the standalone Terminal 3 to boost annual passenger handling capacity to 8.6 million, accommodating approximately 3,000 passengers during peak hours, while offering a more spacious check-in area, an improved baggage handling system, and enhanced passenger amenities. Recent modernization efforts include a skywalk connecting the domestic and international terminals and technological upgrades aimed at improving the airport's service quality rating. The Airport Advisory Committee also explored the feasibility of launching direct flights to Jaipur, Surat, Shirdi, Tirupati, and Bhopal, with the Jaipur route reportedly likely to commence soon.
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