The Hindu Business Line : New arrival terminal at Chennai airport getting ready

Chennai June 12 A new international passenger arrival terminal at the Chennai's Anna International Airport is in the final stages of completion and trials are going on. The Rs 30-crore terminal is likely to be commissioned soon, according to the Chennai Airport Director, Mr Dinesh Kumar.

Minor changes are being made to the terminal, he told Business Line. For incoming international travellers there would be a new `slope type' baggage conveyor system instead of the present `flat type', making it easier for passengers to pick up their baggage, he said.

Mr Kumar earlier told Business Line that the existing infrastructure would be sufficient for the next five years.

Passenger Traffic

However, with carriers planning to expand their fleet and the likely surge in passenger traffic, there is a need for start working on expansion for future needs.

Currently, 20 international carriers and nine domestic airlines offer flights from/to Chennai. The most recent addition was Qatar Airways starting its Chennai-Doha flight.

In 2006-07, international passenger traffic through the Chennai airport was 2.80 million compared with 2.60 million in the previous year.