Decision on Chennai airport soon

V. Jayanth

Will the city get a new airport or will just another terminal be added? Will the city get a new airport or will just another terminal be added?

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New terminal can be built in 18-24 months Three years needed to develop a new airport New airport will cost around Rs. 2000 crore CONGESTED, CROWDED: Chennai's airport crying for attention. — File photo CHENNAI: The Planning Commission and the Civil Aviation Ministry have agreed to decide the scope and shape of the Chennai and Kolkata airport projects within three months. The Airports Authority of India and the Tamil Nadu Government are also working out plans for the Chennai airport. But the basic issue that needs to be examined is whether the city needs a new airport or just an expansion. . Over the past few years, there have been several proposals on the Chennaiproject — the Aviation Ministry and the AAI have their own views; the previous AIADMK regime submitted a proposal to the Centre for a joint venture and even offered land; and Communications Minister Dayanidhi Maran has been pushing the Centre to clear the modernisation project, even though it could not be taken up with those in New Delhi and Mumbai. AAI may handle project Both the Chennai and Kolkata projects are expected to be handled by the AAI, along with 35 other domestic airports. But the metro projects will be on the fast track and on a much larger scale. The Chennai project ran into complications after agitations by resident associations from around Meenambakkam and Pallavaram over the land acquisition notices. Hence, it is important for the authorities to decide on and announce the location and scope of the project. According to AAI estimates, a new greenfield airport can be built at a cost of about Rs. 2,000 crore. The organisation claims to have both the competence and the resources to execute the project. This will be in another location, a little away from the present airport and consequently, further away from the city. The other option is to just expand the present airport and build another terminal, for which the estimated cost is Rs. 600 crore to Rs. 650 crore. The existing Anna and Kamaraj terminals can be clubbed together to form a larger domestic terminal, while a new international one can perhaps be built on the other side of the runway. Growth in traffic Given the growth in international and domestic traffic, as well as the increasing number of airlines and flights, there is a view that it is time to develop a new airport. This can be designed and equipped to handle the growth in passenger traffic for another decade or more. According to AAI, the passenger traffic from Chennai in March was 43.2 per cent more in the corresponding period last year, and the aircraft movement shot up by 37.5 per cent. Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has said the State Government would be consulted on the project and scope. All that remains for the State to do is to finalise the extent of expansion and the investment required. It must also ensure that enough land is made available, without delay. AAI sources say a new terminal can be built in 18 to 24 months, while it may take up to three years to develop a new airport. Once a decision is taken on the same, they hope things will move swiftly.

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