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The opening of the newly commissioned airport terminal in Chennai has been put off till December this year.
Official sources told Business Line that the non-arrival of three aerobridges to be installed at the international terminal, absence of Central Industrial Security Forces, and lack of inline baggage machines, are the reasons for pushing back the opening by three months.
The decision to delay the opening of the new terminal building was taken after a survey by Secretary, Civil Aviation, K.N. Srivastava, over the week-end. The Ministry has already sent an invitation to the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, to inaugurate the new terminal building.
The Centre had, in April 2007, decided to upgrade Chennai airport to international standards.
Masterplan, design
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had developed the masterplan and design of the terminal through global architectural design competition.
An inter-ministerial group had approved these plans, which focused on enhancing the runway capacity, apron capacity and the capacity of terminal buildings.
Project cost
The project was sanctioned in August 2008 at an initial cost of Rs 1,808 crore, which was later revised to Rs 2,015 crore.
The project consists of construction of a new domestic terminal building, extension of the existing Anna international terminal and the secondary runway across the Adyar River. After completion of the work, passenger handling capacity at Chennai will increase from nine million to 23 million.
Meanwhile, AAI, which is undertaking the development of Chennai airport terminal, plans to make the airports at Jaisalmer and Bhatinda operational for airlines during the forthcoming winter schedule.
ashwini.phadnis@thehindu.co.in
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