The Cochin International Airport Ltd will reopen its renovated Terminal-1 by the third week of December.
The terminal, renovated at a cost of ₹240 crore, is a blend of traditional architecture with modern airport facilities, and will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on December 12.
On the same day, he will also inaugurate the enhancement of the solar power production capacity to 40 MW at CIAL.
Fusion architecture
In contrast to the architectural models of other airports in the country, CIAL has redesigned Terminal-1 on Kerala heritage lines, and the work was completed in 18 months.
VJ Kurien, Managing Director, CIAL, said the airport had handled nearly five million domestic passengers in 2017-18 and this number is expected to touch 10 million in five years. Against a national growth of 18 per cent in domestic aviation market, CIAL has been witnessing 24 per cent growth.
All these factors were taken into consideration during the renovation of Terminal-1, he said.
Last year, the airport opened the ₹1,100-crore international terminal and handled one crore passengers in 2017-18.
Solar production
Referring to solar power production, he said the total capacity of the solar plants at present is 30 MW.
As the Terminal-1 is ready for operation, the rooftop solar production capacity will be increased to 40 MW. With the commissioning of the new solar carport for Terminal-1, the total installed capacity of the carports will be 5.1 MW. It will house 2,600 cars.
CIAL also set another record as an airport having the largest solar carport in the world, surpassing the Wieze International Airport, Germany, the present record holder with an installation capacity 4 MWp.