Chennai airport modernisation work to take off soon.

The modernisation of the city airport, which has been hit by a delay, is set to take off finally with the Airport Authority of India deciding to shortlist a global consultancy firm for the Rs. 2,300 crore works to be completed in three years.

The development plan, proposed three years ago, would enhance the airport’s passenger handling capacity from the present 14 million to 30 million per annum and increase cargo handling during the next three years, airport director Deepak Shastri said recetly.

'We will be shortlisting the global consultancy firm for taking up the development works in two or three months. The total estimate is around Rs. 2,300 crore of which the Centre has allocated Rs. 1,000 crore...'' he told reporters here.

Under the development plan, the AAI would also take up resurfacing of the secondary runway, he said.

Attributing the delay in taking up the development works to the proposed privatisation plan of AAI, he said, “The entire work is expected to be completed to three years.

'Earlier there was a plan that after privatisation the development work will be taken up. Now the privatisation plan has been put on hold. So Airport Authority of India is taking up the development work...,' he said.

Referring to the Global Investors Meet scheduled to be held here by the Tamil Nadu government next month, he said, AAI would increase the immigration counters to handle the expected rush of passengers.

'We are expecting at least 3,500 to 4,000 delegates to attend the event. So there will be more passengers during that period. We are hoping to provide a smooth transit for them,' he said.


HBL