The Hindu Business Line : Chennai airport revamp likely at existing site

Airport modernisation
Kirkpatrick proposal may be preferred as it does not require any diversion of Adyar river.
The State has always shown interest in a greenfield airport, in addition to existing one.
It had short listed two sites, one at Oraguddam village and the other near Sriperambadur.

New Delhi , Dec. 22

The modernisation of Chennai airport is likely to be done at the existing site instead of a greenfield airport coming up at one of the two sites that had been identified jointly by the State Government and Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Sources indicated that the expansion of Meenambakkam Airport is likely to see the construction of a second runway on the other side of Adyar river and a new terminal building being constructed between the two runways.

This is in keeping with an earlier recommendation made by Scot Wilson Kirkpatrick, consultants appointed by Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation .

One of the reasons why the Kirkpatrick proposal may be preferred over other options is because it does not require any diversion of the Adyar river, which would not only be technically difficult but also time consuming, sources indicated.

Expansion preferred

While sections in the Government are said to favour the expansion of the existing airport over a greenfield project, a clearer picture on the exact route to be followed is likely to emerge only after the State Government looks into the issue of land acquisition required for development of Meenambakkam Airport.

The State Government has always shown interest in a greenfield airport coming up in Chennai in addition to existing airport and had short listed two sites, one at Oragadam village and the other near Sriperumbudur.

Sources indicated that the Oragadam village site was considered a better option for a variety of reasons, including the availability of 5,000 acres of land and little requirement of rehabilitation and resettlement as the area was seeing a lot of industrial activity.

However, the Centre has expressed the opinion that having two airports in Chennai would not be feasible and a greenfield airport would be viable only if the existing airport is shut down.

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