Union Cabinet Approves International Status for Vijayawada Airport

The move follows the bifurcation of Andhra, after which Hyderabad’s international airport shifted to Telangana.

• The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal to grant international status to Vijayawada airport, said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
• The move follows the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, after which the capital Hyderabad, as well as the state's lone international airport situated in the city, were transferred to the new state of Telangana.
• The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, which bifurcated the state into Telangana and residual Andhra Pradesh, provided that the Centre must "examine the feasibility of expanding the existing Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati airports to international standards and take an expeditious decision thereon."

(With inputs from PTI.)