There would be a new terminal at Chennai airport in another 42 months
Posted on: 29/Sep/2018 9:32:27 AM
Under the phase2 Chennai airport modernisation programme, a new terminal with parking bays for aircraft and multilevel parking space for cars would be set up at a cost of amount of Rs 2500 crore. This was confirmed by an AAI or Airport Authority of India official on Friday, 28th of September 2018.
As per the airport director, AAI (Chennai), Mr. Chandramouli, this new terminal would be making its presence felt in another 42 to 45 months of time. He later spoke about the passenger traffic witnessing 20 percent growth in the last 3 years and how if it continues like this then the existing terminal would not be able to handle it. The increase in the arrivals and departures would be handled by the new terminal that would come up under the phase2 modernisation programme.
Borrowings as well as internal resources would be playing their roles in funding. It was confirmed by Mr. Suresh, AAI member (finance) that borrowings would contribute to 60 percent of funding and internal resources would contribute to 40 percent of the funding amount. He later explained that AAI would study the market before deciding whether to go for project loans or for an issue through domestic bonds. Last week for the modernisation of airport, union government had approved amount of Rs 9430 crores to be taken as loan in the next 5 years. This was also pointed out by Mr. Suresh. It must be noted that the entry costs of vehicles dropping the passengers at the departure terminal would be reduced. For the first 30 minutes the entry costs for the private vehicles is Rs 50, and it would be Rs 60 for yellow board taxis. Amount of Rs 150 is presently the entry cost is known.
An official later expressed his views about the breaking of glasses at the airport. He spoke about how gases formed around the glasses were responsible for breaking of the glasses. The study on this was done by a special team from IIT Madras. He later highlighted that in 2014 there were as many as 9 incidents of breaking of glasses but in 2018 there were just 2 such incidents. He also assured that the modern techniques used in the construction of new terminal would not lead to any further breaking of glasses at the airport. The airport director finally spoke about the need to have more space for runways and separate space for filling fuel on the planes away from the bays.
