The Chennai airport is constructing a new terminal that is expected to be completed in two years. This new terminal will serve both international and domestic passengers. The terminal will be built at the location where the old international arrival building used to stand, adjacent to the existing integrated terminal (T2). The demolition work has already been finished, and construction is set to begin this month.
The new terminal will cover an area of approximately 60,000sqm. It will be integrated with the existing T2 terminal to create a large integrated building capable of handling both domestic and international flights as per the demand. This integrated terminal will be flanked by two domestic terminals.
The construction of the new terminal is part of the phase 2 development of T2. This development will increase the total size of the integrated terminal to 197,000sqm and enhance the annual passenger handling capacity from the current 25 million to 35 million. The terminal will be designed to accommodate both domestic and international passengers based on the requirement.
The city airport currently handles around 50,000 domestic passengers daily, and there is often a surge in demand for domestic flights during peak hours, festival days, and long weekends. However, airlines struggle to secure slots for additional frequencies. With the expanded terminal space, airlines will be able to add more flights to their schedules.
Once completed, the integrated terminal will have additional aerobridges for boarding and disembarking. This will allow airlines to schedule more international flights. The terminal will also include various facilities such as self-baggage drop, passenger flow monitoring system, e-gates, 3D sensors for boarding, specialized baggage scanning system, and advanced baggage handling system to minimize the risk of mishandled luggage.
In other news related to airports in South India, the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is undergoing significant renovations. These renovations include the demolition of the domestic terminal and the expansion of the international terminal. The aim of these renovations is to improve connectivity and infrastructure to meet the growing passenger traffic and flight demands. However, failure to expand the runway end safety area by September 2024 could lead to the cancellation of the airport’s license.
Furthermore, there are plans for a new greenfield airport in Parandur, Chennai. This new airport will have three passenger terminals situated between two runways. It will be easily accessible via a link road from the Chennai-Bengaluru expressway and will also have a metro rail station. The state government has submitted the airport’s design to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest for approval.
