New airport link road to be opened in Sept..

The link road, christened the VIP Road, connecting the Cochin International Airport to National Highway 47 from Athani Junction at Angamaly, is expected to be thrown open to the public by September in tandem with the commissioning of the newly-built international terminal at the Cochin International Airport.

According to airport sources, the new terminal should be ready for commissioning by the end of August and the new four-lane road will make the airport more accessible from the National Highway.

About 2.5 km of the road from Athani Junction up to the airport golf links is complete. The remaining portion involves a rail overbridge. “Work on the overbridge is fast progressing and should be complete in about 45 to 60 days,” said sources.

The new four-lane road will also correct a curve on the present airport link road, which will reduce the distance between the highway and the airport by about a kilometre.

The major feature of the new road is that it will land at the departure section on the first floor level of the new international terminal at the airport end.

The international arrival will operate at the ground level. There will be facility for the vehicles either to turn to the parking lot or to leave the airport directly from the first floor level.

A new parking area, capable of accommodating more than 1,200 vehicles, is also being readied taking into consideration the commissioning of the new terminal. “The space in the parking area will also be used for installation of solar panels for generating around 2.5 MW of electricity,” sources added.

The 5-km road has been built by Cochin International Airport Ltd at a cost of Rs.67 crore on its own land.


THE HINDU