The Hindu Business Line : AAI to spend Rs 50 cr on expanding Chennai terminals

Airports Authority of India (AAI) plans to spend Rs 50 crore this year on expanding international and domestic terminals at Chennai Airport, as well as on increasing the number of parking bays there, according to Mr Dinesh Kumar, Airport Director, Chennai Airport.

The major portion of the expansion is on adding 19 new parking bays at a cost of Rs 37 crore.

Work on a Rs 2-crore, 2,500 sq m covered warehouse for import cargo has started. This would be ready in three months' time, he told Business Line on Friday. Later, work on another 7,500 sq m warehouse would be taken up, he said.

The spurt in passenger and cargo traffic (see table) necessitated the expansion.

The growth, Mr Kumar said, was due to new airlines such asParamount, GoAir and Kingfisher starting operations from Chennai. Legacy carriers such as Indian and Jet Airways have also increased frequencies. Increased operation by low cost carriers (LCC) was another reason for the spurt in traffic. AAI plans to add 1,000 sq m to the domestic terminal.

Mr Kumar said 750 sq m was set aside as an LCC departure area to facilitate passengers travelling on these flights. This area will have 12 check-in counters, 2 X-ray machines and a conveyor belt. Additional car parking for 400 cars at the international terminal would also be provided, he said.

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