Indore Airport master plan targets Simhastha 2028 surge:Shankar Lalwani pushes new terminal building, multilevel parking, metro connectivity; aims 1 crore passengers annually

With Simhastha 2028 expected to draw massive pilgrim inflow and Indore’s air traffic rising steadily, a high-level meeting on Monday laid the groundwork for a future-ready master plan for Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport, aimed at catering to over one crore passengers annually in the coming years. The meeting, convened at the airport premises on the initiative of Indore MP Shankar Lalwani, focused on aligning immediate passenger issues with long-term infrastructure planning, keeping Simhastha 2028 as a fixed milestone and the next 25 years as the planning horizon. Central push after ministerial review The exercise followed Lalwani’s recent meeting in New Delhi with Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, where congestion, terminal limitations, parking shortages and security bottlenecks at Indore airport were flagged. Acting on the minister’s directions, senior officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) including Sharad Kumar (Operations and Planning) and Anurag Mishra, visited Indore to assess ground realities and present a structured development roadmap. Simhastha-driven infrastructure blueprint Officials made it clear that the master plan is being designed to handle peak pressure during Simhastha 2028, when passenger numbers are expected to multiply, while also ensuring long-term capacity expansion. The AAI presentation focused on scaling infrastructure in a phased manner rather than resorting to temporary arrangements. Key proposals under the master plan include: · Construction of a multi-level car parking (MLCP) facility to ease severe parking stress · Expansion of pre-embarkation security check points to reduce long queues during peak hours · Creation of new vehicular lanes and a reworked traffic circulation plan · Development of a new terminal building and a separate administrative block · Runway extension and development of a parallel taxiway to improve aircraft movement and reduce delays Capacity jump planned in phases AAI officials informed that Indore airport currently handles around 40 lakh passengers annually. Under the proposed master plan, capacity is planned to be increased to 1 crore passengers per year in Phase I, and further scaled up to 2.5 crore passengers annually in Phase II. The expansion will require acquisition of nearly 89 acres of additional land. Parking, security and passenger flow concerns The meeting flagged parking congestion as a critical choke point affecting passenger entry and exit. The MLCP project was identified as a priority intervention to manage traffic during Simhastha and beyond. On security screening, Lalwani highlighted the imbalance in passenger movement, noting that despite the availability of security gates on both upper and lower levels, most passengers are funnelled through the upper floor. He called for a revised security layout to distribute passenger load evenly and prevent overcrowding. Runway, Metro link and VIP movement Other planning elements discussed included extending the runway from 2,754 metres to 3,500 metres, installation of a radar system, improving metro connectivity, and introducing separate entry–exit systems for smoother traffic flow. Issues related to stray dogs around the airport and passenger safety were also flagged. Disruptions caused by VIP movement were raised as a recurring concern, with the option of routing VIP operations through a separate terminal examined as part of long-term planning. MP flags delays, seeks faster execution Lalwani expressed dissatisfaction over delays in certain ongoing works, particularly the incomplete preparation for operating ATR flights from the old terminal and the slow progress of runway carpeting. He directed officials to accelerate execution, stressing that Simhastha-linked timelines cannot slip. He underlined that airport development must anticipate future demand rather than react to crises, stating that Indore needs an airport capable of handling crores of passengers without repeated disruptions. Assurances and advisory inputs AAI officials assured that all points raised would be incorporated into a detailed report and that coordination with the state government and local administration would be ensured wherever required. Projects will be implemented in a phased manner as per defined timelines. The meeting was attended by Shivam Verma, Additional Collector Roshan Rai, Additional Commissioner of Police Amit Singh, Airport Director Sunil Maggerwar, advisory committee members and senior officials from the airport administration and allied departments.