India's second green airport, which is located in the City of Vadodara, in Gujarat State, is set to be opened soon. According to officials, the project is almost coming to an end, with most of the major works already having been completed, and the airport is expected to be fully operational by August.
Once the airport starts operating, residents of Vadodara city, as well as those of the Gujarat state, will have access to several international destinations, right from their own backyard.
The airport is the country's second Eco-friendly airport, and the first green airport in the state of Gujarat. It has already received Green Ratings of International Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), which is the highest rating given to Eco-friendly buildings.
The project has been under the supervision of the Office of the Prime Minister. According to N K Shukla, the General Manager of the project, it is expected that the Indian Prime Minster will be the one to inaugurate the airport.
While Vadodara city already has an airport, which is located at Harni, the new green airport will be the city's first international airport. Once completed, it will stand on a ground of 18,120 sq. meters, and it is expected to be about four times larger than the Harni airport.
According to the project officials, the airport will also have 18 check-in counters, and will be able to cater for about 700 passengers every hour. Additional features are also expected to be added to the airport next year.
The green airport is part of the ongoing initiative by the government to renovate the existing airports in the country and bring them to international standards. Once it is open, it will increase the capacity of the passengers served, and connect Vadodara and Gujarat to other international destinations. This will help to market the region as a destination for tourists.
India’s second eco-friendly airport in Vadodara will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22nd October, 2016.