Lucknow: The area around Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA) is set for major transformation, with Adani Airport City Limited (AACL) planning a 31-lakh-sq-ft integrated ‘airport city’ comprising hotels, offices, shopping, dining and entertainment facilities.The proposed development, roughly the size of 36 FIFA-standard football pitches, will cover about 5.7% of the airport’s total 5.48-crore-sq-ft land area.The plan seeks to turn part of the airport premises into a mixed-use destination serving not only passengers but also businesses and local residents. It will include two hotels in the 3-star and 4-star categories, a shopping mall, retail outlets, a multiplex and office spaces for rent.A dedicated skywalk has also been proposed to connect the airport, Aerocity and the new development, allowing passengers, visitors and employees to move easily between them.The project is expected to create a new commercial and leisure hub around the airport, while attracting businesses seeking office space with easy access to air connectivity.Lucknow International Airport Limited (LIAL), an Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) company, has been operating CCSIA since Nov 2020 under a 50-year concession agreement with the Airports Authority of India.The Lucknow development is part of Adani Airports’ larger plan to create airport-linked urban centres across India. In the first phase, the company plans to invest more than Rs 20,000 crore across six airports and develop around 2.2 crore sq ft on over 655 acres.AAHL director Jeet Adani said successful airport districts globally have developed into “centres of commerce, tourism and urban growth”, adding that such projects can generate investment and employment while improving passenger experience.The concept draws inspiration from airport districts such as Singapore’s Changi, Dubai International, Amsterdam’s Schiphol and Seoul’s Incheon.The company said sustainability would also be a key part of the projects, which have received LEED Gold pre-certification from the US Green Building Council.Besides Lucknow, airport city developments are planned in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Guwahati. Mumbai and Navi Mumbai will account for the largest share of the overall investment.
