NITI Aayog Approves ₹2,200-Crore Master Plan for Coimbatore International Airport Expansion

Key facts

• The ₹2,200-crore master plan for expanding Coimbatore International Airport has been approved by NITI Aayog and awaits clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Expenditure, Airport Director Mohammad Arif said on September 16, 2026.
• The expansion requires 627 acres in addition to the airport's existing 420 acres, taking the total area to over 1,047 acres; 621 acres have been handed over to the Airports Authority of India, with the remaining six acres expected soon.
• The State Environment Impact Assessment Authority issued Terms of Reference to the AAI in late July 2026, and the AAI is preparing the Environment Impact Assessment report; the project has achieved 75%-80% of technical clearances.
• Once begun, the expansion can be completed in about three years, adding a new terminal of about 75,000 sq. m. with a capacity of 12 million passengers per annum and peak-hour capacity rising from 1,770 to 4,200 passengers.
• The existing 18,000 sq. m. terminal handles about 3.5 million passengers annually against a design capacity of 3.63 million; interim expansion adding 1,000 sq. m. will be completed by December 2026.
• The Ministry of Civil Aviation's Yatri Sewa Abhiyan campaign will be observed at the airport from September 17 to October 10, 2026.