AAI to hold talks with State govt. on greenfield airport.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been taking steps to revive the plan for implementing Sriperumbudur Greenfield airport for the city.

Airport director Deepak Shastri said, “We have been trying to approach the State government and plan to hold talks in this regard. The sooner the project starts, the better it is for the city. We really need this airport as the phase II too will become saturated in a few years. If we start making preparatory work for this project now, it will be convenient to manage the air traffic by the time it is complete.”

But sources say it may be difficult to implement it since many of the plots around the site have been de-notified now. This airport will span over 4,800 acres and is estimated to cost Rs. 20,000 crore.

At present, the city airport handles about 400 aircraft movements a day and this will substantially increase by 2020, say sources. Same is the case with the air traffic too. Unless the Greenfield project is implemented soon, it may be quite difficult to handle the fast growing traffic, AAI sources said.

AAI has now started chalking out plans for the phase II project of Chennai airport that will include construction of new terminals, airside development, walkalator and construction of new bays. The consultancy work alone may cost Rs. 190 crore and take about 6-7 months. The project is estimated to cost about Rs. 2,100 crore and expected to be complete in five years.

THE HINDU