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Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport
IATA: VNS ICAO: VEBN
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Government of India
Operator	Airports Authority of India
Serves	Varanasi
Location	Babatpur, Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh, India
Elevation AMSL	270 ft / 82.30 m
Coordinates	25°27′08″N 082°51′34″E / 25.45222°N 82.85944°E / 25.45222; 82.85944
Website	Varanasi Airport
Map
VNSLocation of airport in Uttar PradeshShow map of Uttar PradeshVNSVNS (India)Show map of IndiaVNSVNS (South Asia)Show map of South AsiaVNSVNS (Middle East)Show map of Middle EastVNSVNS (Asia)Show map of Asia
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 09/27 2,745 9,006 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2023 - March 2024)
Passengers 2,996,698 ( 18.8%) Aircraft movements 20,520 ( 7.1%) Cargo tonnage 4,721 ( 0.2%)
Source: AAI

Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport (IATA: VNS, ICAO: VEBN) is an international airport serving Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located at Babatpur, 26 km (16 mi) northwest of Varanasi. Formerly known as Varanasi Airport, it was officially renamed after Lal Bahadur Shastri, the 2nd Prime Minister of India, in October 2005. It is the 20th-busiest airport in India in terms of passenger movement, and the second-busiest airport in Uttar Pradesh. The airport is awarded as the best airport in Asia-Pacific in 2020 (2 to 5 million passengers per annum) by Airports Council International. It is the first airport in India to make announcements in Sanskrit language.

Terminal

An integrated terminal serves both domestic and international flights, with a floor area of 3,900 square metres (42,000 square feet). The terminal features 16 check-in counters with CUTE (common-user terminal equipment), four immigration counters that double up as emigration counters, and two baggage-claim belts. Besides an upper-level seating area for the aero-bridge gates, the terminal features a ground-level gate to reach other aircraft on the apron on foot, or via shuttle bus. The apron can simultaneously park five narrow-body aircraft. The waiting area features essential services for the passengers, besides snack stalls, a travellers' convenience store, a bookstore with a newsstand, and stores selling merchandise indigenous to Varanasi, such as Banarasi Saris; and a VIP waiting lounge.

Airfield

The airport features a single asphalt runway bearing 09/27. It is 9,006 feet (2,745 m) in length, with turnarounds on both ends, and two exits to the main apron. A third, seldom-used exit leads to an isolated apron for use in emergency.

Airlines and destinations

Future plans and projects

Due to increasing passenger traffic and aircraft movements the Airports Authority of India is planning to extend the runway to 4,075 m (13,369 ft) from the existing 2,750 m (9,020 ft). An underpass will be constructed as the expansion will intersect with National Highway 31.

In November 2019, the Airports Authority of India came up with a proposal for a new second terminal, which will be completed by 2024. The total area of the terminal will be 58,691 m with passenger capacity of 4.5 million per year.

On 20 October 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for several projects at the Airport, including the expansion of the airport runway, a new terminal building, and other allied works, totalling around ₹2,870 crore.

See also

• List of airports in India
• List of the busiest airports in India
• Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport

References

1. "Annexure III – Passenger Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
2. "Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
3. "Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
4. "Varanasi". Airports Authority of India. Archived from the original on 29 June 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
5. "Varanasi Airport renamed". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 20 October 2005.. It acquired its position in India's major airports after more than 1.5 million passengers used the airport in 2017.
6. "2020 - Best Airport by Size and Region". ACI World. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
7. "Varanasi International Airport makes announcement in Sanskrit". The Times of India. 24 June 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
8. "Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport or Varanasi Airport (VNS)".
9. ^ "Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport or Varanasi Airport (VNS)". AAI. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
10. "Varanasi Airport (VNS), Varanasi International Airport | IndiGo". www.goindigo.in. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
11. "Shopping". AAI. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
12. "Time Table". www.airindia.in. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
13. "Our Network". Air India Express. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
14. "Air India Express to launch Hyderabad-Varanasi flight from March 1". AviationAll. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
15. ^ "Akasa Air Flight Network". Akasa Air. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
16. "Alliance Air to launch Kolkata-Varanasi flight from February 8". AviationAll. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
17. "Dhami flags off flights from Doon to Ayodhya, Varanasi & Amritsar". Times of India. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
18. "Flights Schedule for Domestic & International Flights IndiGo". www.goindigo.in. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
19. "IndiGo announces six new domestic routes; Check details here". The Economic Times. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
20. Velani, Bhavya (22 August 2023). "IndiGo Launches the New and 80th Destination as Khajuraho". Aviation A2Z. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
21. "INDIGO 1H23 DOMESTIC ROUTES ADDITION SUMMARY – 05MAR23". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
22. "CM Adityanath inaugurates first flight service between Lucknow, Varanasi". Press Trust of India. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
23. "IndiGo to launch Pune-Varanasi flight from February 11". JetArena. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
24. "SpiceJet Flight Schedule". SpiceJet. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
25. "UP airport 1st to have national highway under runway - Times of India". The Times of India. 5 June 2018.
26. "गंगा की लहरों व शिवलिंग सा होगा वाराणसी एलबीएस इंटरनेशनल एयरपोर्ट टर्मिनल, डिजाइन तैयार". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). 10 November 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
27. "PM Modi to launch several projects during his Varanasi visit". The Hindu. PTI. 20 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
28. "PM Modi in Varanasi today to unveil ₹6,100 crore Diwali gift, inaugurate multiple projects". Mint. 20 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.

External links

Media related to Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport at Wikimedia Commons

• Varanasi Airport at Airports Authority of India web site

• India
• Aviation

v t e Varanasi
History	Intentionally left blank for sometime
Administrative division	Divisions Varanasi division Districts Varanasi district Tehsils Pindra, Varanasi Census towns Amara Khaira Chak, Benipur, Bhagawanpur, Birbhanpur, Dindaspur, Gangapur, Harpal Pur, Kakarmatta, Kandwa, Kotwa, Lohta, Maruadih, Phulwaria, Ramnagar, Salarpur, Shivdaspur, Sir Gobardhan, Susuwahi, Suzabad, Umarha, Varanasi, Varanasi cantt. Villages v t e Villages in Varanasi district Pindra Tehsil Adhkatiya Kala Khas Aharak Ahiran Ahirani Ajaipur Akorha Amilo Aneai Anura Araji Hasanpur Arazi Tari Ashapur Ashwari Aswalpur Auraon Ausanpur Azoarepur Babatpur Bachaura Badhauna Baghaita Baharipur Barzi Basni Deorai Eshipur Gang Khurd Janakpatti Kathiraon Kuri, Varanasi Murdi Padari Phoolpur Tisaura Varanasi Tehsil Adampur Aily Aitha Akhari Amaut Amawar Anantpur Araji Line Babhanpura Chadpur Dabethuwa Jayapur Khalispur Khanzadipur Lamhi Mehdiganj Rajpur Vyaspur India portal
Languages & dialects spoken	Bengali Bhojpuri English Hindi Hindustani Urdu
Political representation	MP Narendra Modi (Incumbent Prime Minister of India) MLA Avadhesh Singh Anil Rajbhar Kailash Nath Sonkar Neelkanth Tiwari Neel Ratan Singh Patel Ravindra Jaiswal Saurabh Srivastava Surendra Narayan Singh
Constituency	Lok Sabha Varanasi Vidhan Sabha Ajagara Pindra Rohaniya Sevapuri Shivpur Varanasi Cantt. Varanasi North Varanasi South
Transportation	Air Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport Rail Babatpur Bhulanpur Kashi Manduadih Varanasi Junction Varanasi City Varanasi Metro Road Grand Trunk Road National Highway 28 National Highway 35 Malviya Bridge Water Varanasi Multi-Modal Terminal
Education	Universities Banaras Hindu University IIT (BHU) Varanasi Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya Colleges Arya Mahila Mahavidyalaya DAV Post Graduate College Harish Chandra Postgraduate College Sri Agrasen Kanya P.G. College Subhash Chandra Mahavidyalaya Sunbeam College for Women Vasant Kanya Mahavidyalaya Vasanta College for Women CBSE schools Central Hindu Boys School Central Hindu Girls School Delhi Public School KV-BHU UP board schools C.M. Anglo Bengali College ICSE schools St Joseph's Convent School St. John's School, Varanasi W. H. Smith Memorial School
Places of worship	Buddhist temples Sarnath Churches St. Mary's Cathedral Hindu temples Aghori Baba Keenaram Sthal Bharat Mata Bharat Mata Mandir Durga or her avatar Durga Mandir Sankata Devi Mandir Hanuman Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple Parvati or her avatar Annapurna Devi Mandir Lalita Gauri Mandir Vishalakshi Temple Shiva or his avatar Kaal Bhairav Mandir Kashi Vishwanath Temple Mrityunjay Mahadev Mandir Nepali Mandir Shri Vishwanath Mandir Shri Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev Mandir Others Tulsi Manas Mandir Mosques Gyanvapi Mosque Alamgir Mosque Ravidasis Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan
Ghats	Assi Ghat Dashashwamedh Ghat Ganga Mahal Ghat (I) Lalita Ghat Manikarnika Ghat Munshi Ghat Sant Ravidas Ghat Scindia Ghat Tulsi Ghat
Point of interest	Ashoka Stambh Bharat Kala Bhavan Bharat Mata Mandir Ganges Ghats Jantar Mantar Ramnagar Fort
Hospitals	Sir Sunderlal Hospital

• Buildings and structures in Varanasi
• Airports in Uttar Pradesh
• International airports in India
• Transport in Varanasi
• Memorials to Lal Bahadur Shastri