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T.E. Raja Simhan

International terminal to be expanded

Chennai March 25 In the current year, the Airports Authority of India has invested Rs 100 crore in Chennai airport — in strengthening the secondary runway, re-carpeting main taxi track, `shoulder turning pad' and installing runway edge lights, according to Mr Dinesh Kumar, Airport Director.

Now, thanks to the growing traffic, the airport is to be refurbished further, he said. The airport is set to record a 39 per cent increase in domestic passenger traffic and around 8 per cent increase in international passenger traffic for fiscal ending March 2007 when compared with the previous year.

Currently, 19 international carriers and nine domestic airlines offer flights from/to Chennai. The numbers are set to increase. Many airlines want to touch Chennai. For instance, Qatar Airways is to start a Chennai-Doha flight on Monday.

Because of the increasing load, the airport is being spruced up . The international terminal is to be expanded to 12,000 sq ft. It would have two levels (ground floor and first floor). Around 1,200 sq ft of space has been added in the departure area and work in the rest of the area would be completed by May, Mr Kumar said. The departure area will soon have a food court as well.

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.

A second domestic terminal would come up in five acres of land adjacent to the Kamaraj Domestic Terminal. Global architects would provide design for the terminal, he said.

According to Mr Kumar, the existing infrastructure would be sufficient for the next five years. However, with carriers planning to expand their fleet and the likely surge in passenger traffic, there is a need start working on expansion for future needs.

More Stories on : Modernisation | Airlines | Tamil Nadu

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Chennai airport being spruced up

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