Indian airport authority plans to expand facilities

Holidaymakers traditionally bookflights to Delhi, Mumbai and other major cities if they are planning to visit India.

However, they could soon have more choice than ever before if they intend to travel to the country in the next few years.

According to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), a number of domestic airports are to be expanded to handle international services, the Times of India reports.

If this proves to be a success, it could eventually lead to more airlines across the globe calling at places such as Varanasi, Lucknow, Mangalore and Agra.

Airports at Bhubaneshwar and Coimbatore also look set to benefit from these plans.

VP Agarwal, chairman of AAI, commented: “The facilities include setting up immigration and customs counters and personnel.

“After that, foreign airlines can operate if they [would] like to.”

The destinations have been chosen as AAI believes they offer tourism potential and could therefore be set to attract many more visitors in the coming years.

Written by Ruth Norris