Rs 1,808 cr Chennai Airport modernisation plan cleared

New Delhi, Aug 14 (UNI) The Government today cleared the proposal for the modernisation and expansion of Chennai Airport, at an estimated cost of Rs 1,808 crore.

The work, which is expected to be completed within 26 months, will result in an additional handling capacity of 14 million passengers per annum (mppa).

The airport will be upgraded to international standards-- the secondary runway will be extended and made suitable for operations of large commercial aircraft, and additional parking space and taxiways created to facilitate parking and movement of aircraft, a Civil Aviation Ministry release said.

The Public Investment Board had approved the proposal of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) last month.

According to the proposal, the secondary runway will be extended by 832 metre, to make a total runway length of 2917 metre, across Adyar river into 130 acres of additional land provided by the State Government.

The extension of the secondary runway and construction of culvert over the Adyar is expected to cost Rs 310 crore.

A parallel taxiway is to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore. Other construction works such as 10 additional base and related development is expected to cost Rs 75 crore.

The project involves an expenditure of Rs 535 crore on airside works.

With the proposed expansion, the airside capacity is expected to increase to 50 movements per hour as against the present capacity of 25 movements per hour.

A domestic terminal building to handle 10 mppa is being constructed in addition to the existing domestic terminal to enable the airport to handle 16 mppa on the domestic side.

The international terminal building is also proposed to be extended to cater to an additional four mppa.

The airport will thus be able to cater to seven mppa on the international side.

A total of Rs 1,077.16 crore is estimated to be spent on the new domestic terminal, extension of the international terminal and facelift of the existing international and domestic terminals.

The car park will also be extended to a multi-level car parking, in front of the respective terminals, at an estimated cost of Rs 195.84 crore.

The project envisages improved city-side connectivity of the airport in coordination with the State Government, Railways, NHAI and Chennai Metro.

The extended international terminal building is expected to saturate in 2017-18 and the combined domestic terminal building will saturate in 2012-13.

The project completion period is estimated to be 20 months for airside works and 26 months from terminal building works, from the date of award of work.

The AAI will fund 80 per cent of the project cost -- Rs 1,446.4 crore -- through internal resources, and balance 20 per cent -- Rs 361.6 crore -- through commercial borrowings.

The AAI has already spent Rs 20.35 crore towards consultancy and other preparatory work during 2007-08.

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