PM Modi to inaugurate Chennai airport new integrated terminal

Insight Online News

Chennai, Mar 16 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate

the Chennai Airport’s new integrated terminal later this month.

The new integrated terminal was built in a 1,97,000 sqm area as part

of the Phase-2 project for capacity enhancement and to handle higher

number of passengers.

The event is ikely to be held on March 26 or 27.

The exact date of the event will be finalised in the next few days.

Airport sources said two dates–March 26 and 27–are being considered

for the inauguration and the Airports Authority of India officials have

started making arrangements for the function.

“Even though a part of the terminal will be inaugurated later this month,

it would be put to use for passengers after two to three weeks as some

more preparations have to be completed”, the sources said.

“Once it is over, the international flight operations will be ready for take

off from the new terminal,” the sources said.

Customs, immigration and CISF staff will check for the smooth functioning

of all the systems to ensure that all the required facilities for passengers

are available. Also, the food and beverage stalls will be set up during this

period before the international passenger operations begin,” AAI

officials said.

Initially, only a part of this new terminal will be operational.

The next phase of construction of the remaining portion will continue after

the inauguration.

Officials will have to execute multiple trial runs after the inauguration during

which all the systems and the staff will move to the new terminal gradually.

Five years ago, the airport witnessed the beginning of the Phase-II project to

increase capacity and enable the airport handle 35 million passengers a year.

The project, executed at an estimated cost of about Rs 2,500 crore, will include

an integrated terminal with an expansive area of 1,97,000 sq.mt.

As per the plan, the domestic terminals will be located at the two ends and the

international terminal in the centre.

UNIINDIA