AAI earmarks Rs 3,000 crore for development of airports across India

AAI earmarks Rs 3,000 crore for development of airports across India

By TBM Staff Mumbai

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has earmarked Rs 3,000 crore for undertaking various developmental works in different airports across the country during 2009-2010, according to D Devaraj, Regional Executive Director (Southern Region), AAI.

According to a UNI report, while talking to media persons after the launching operations of the new two-storeyed Integrated Terminal Building at Tiruchirapalli Airport, which is constructed as per international standards at a cost of Rs 80 crore, Devaraj said the terminal with a capacity to handle 400 passengers at a time has two aerobridges.Devaraj said of the Rs 3,000 crore outlay, Rs 2,000 crore was for carrying out developmental works at Chennai Airport.

The ongoing work at Chennai Airport included expansion of the secondary runway across the Adyar River. The work is expected to be completed by end of next year or early 2011.


Apart from this, Rs 125 crore had been sanctioned for undertaking developmental work at Madurai Airport, Rs 90 crore and 70 crore for Mangalore and Coimbatore Airports respectively. Work on these airports has already commenced. Replying to a question, he said a decision on user charges to be collected from airlines for Common User Terminal Equipment (CUTE) was yet to be finalised.

The possibility for utilising the existing terminal building for cargo operations will also be explored. He said a private airline had approached AAI for its nod to operate flights between Chennai and Salem and a final decision on this was yet to be taken.

S Sreekumar, Director, Tiruchirapalli Airport said it recorded 4.6 lakh passenger arrivals and departures during 2008-09, registering 18 per cent growth. District Collector T Soundiah, who was present said, AAI had sought 430 acres for expansion of the runway to 12,500 feet from the present 8,000 feet. The required land will be acquired and handed over to the AAI within six months.


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