The new T2 integrated terminal building at the Chennai airport is expected to be ready by September 2020 to handle international passenger traffic movement, according to CV Deepak, Officiating Airport Director, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Chennai International Airport.

The biggest challenge during the construction was that it was carried out in between two terminals when the operations at the airport was going on. Despite this, the project went on, he said at the 4th edition of Chennaiinfra, a conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry on planning for a sustainable Chennai, utility and services, industry infrastructure and future outlook of the city.

“On commissioning of the T2 building, the demolition of the existing old terminal will commence. By February 2022, there will be a fully integrated terminal with a capacity to handle nearly 40 million passengers, and envisaged for 2031, 2032-2035,” he said.

Deepak said when the first phase of the airport's infrastructure expansion was taken up in 2013, the airport had a capacity to handle only 15 million passengers. However, last year, the traffic touched 22 million, and there were severe constraints on the existing infrastructure.

Chennai Airport Phase II

With growth in domestic traffic of 11.8 per cent and international traffic at 7.6 per cent, AAI had decided on modernising the airport under phase II.

In 2018, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had approved the infrastructure project at a cost of ₹2,467 crore, he said. When the traffic reaches 35-40 million, there is an eminent need for second airport. For the second airport it is important to look at the additional infrastructure such as highway and metro rail connectivity, he added.

Deepak said that in the next 6-8 months the airport would be able to handle late night passenger traffic in the main building itself. This was in response to an observation by a speaker that at present late night flights are parked at one end of the airport, and it takes lots of time to reach the main building.

Sagarmala project

Sunil Paliwal, Chairman cum Managing Director, Kamarajar Port Ltd, said under the Centre’s Sagarmala programme, the port has commissioned a total of 22 projects at a cost of ₹13,000 crore. Of this, ten projects have been completed and five are under implementation.

As part of the Coastal Economic Zone programme, the port has identified nearly 300 acres of which 185 acres is on offer for the industries to set up their facilities at the zone. In January, the port plans to offer the land to the industry, he said.

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