Main contractor has completed civil works
The inauguration of the new domestic terminal at the Chennai airport now depends on the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO), which has to activate the new 11,000-KV sub-station at the airport.
According to airport sources, Consolidated Construction Consortium Limited (CCCL), the main contractor, has completed the civil works and wound up operations at the airport after testing the entire electrical system using diesel generators.
A senior Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said that CCCL personnel will come back only when the electrical sub-station is activated by TANGEDCO.
When contacted, H.S. Suresh, Director-designate, Chennai airport, said: “We are trying our best to get the electrical sub-station activated by TANGEDCO. If that happens within a week, the AAI can start the testing, which will go on for a month. Once it is completed, the terminal will become operational.” Once the sub-station was activated, the AAI would check for fluctuation in supply.
The power has to be sourced from Kadapperi near Tambaram and the cables, at one point, have to pass through a metrowater pipeline. This will require clearance from the water board. Similarly, the cables have to be laid cross GST Road near Pallavaram. This has to be worked out with the National Highways authorities, said a senior AAI official.
AAI sources said the main work involving information and communication technology on features such as display boards, check-in-counters and security for airlines and inline scanning system had to be ready before the terminal could be put to use. Three months were required to complete this work.
Further, the AAI had to procure aerobridges, which had to be delivered to Chennai. The calibration of the aerobridges was a time consuming process.
RANDOM! Was your submit mocment button always that way? I like it. I may or may not have spent a disproportionate amount of time hovering and unhovering over it. <3
TN should take over all its airport and maintain them or contract them under their supervision. The present setup of a nationalized body governing all the country's airports is a failure. Most funds go to Delhi and Bombay. Alteast 3 or 4 airports within Tamil Nadu itself are in "idle" condition. This is waste of resources and gross failure. Yeah, Chennai airport looks great with the new buildings - but root problems remain due to structure and management of finances. TN will strongly benefit with a state level airline (first proposed in 1998) that would connect all major cities of TN. Presently people from Southern district do not have a proper airport for 200km and have to travel even to neighbouring Kerala for a flight. Madurai is not even in agreement with other country for international flight.
Being nationlaistic doesn't mean being delusional or wearing blinders in life. Indian cities unfortunately are dirty, filthy and very third world. That is a reality. The reason is simply because unlike other countries, we don't care, we are indisciplined. This has very little to do with the industry of indians. Yes indians are hard working and have contributed to the construction of many cities and airports around the world including Dubai, but India remains a cess pool - that is a fact.
It does look good! Nice to see new reoject getting complete (Almost),it would have been nicer if it totally complete, What I really dont understand ,not just this project every housing project claims complete even before they complete the entire stuff and landscape(ie proper roads/other things we pay for).Is it because us Indians are okay in accepting incomplete building? From my experience every new workplace i have entered still has somebody working on it , its a sad sight , in most hitech companies we see people in fancy boots walking side by side with people without slippers building the place.May be we should revisit the construction practices and make some efforts to improve facilities.Like proper working shoes for road layers etc
@vikram/. i think, you haven't travelled abroad. i too thought like you that, our city (chennai) is one of the developed cities etc., but when i landed in other country, then only i realized how much we are far in every thing....
i took this issue with our family and frnds and to the authorities when i came in the vacation that how we can develop an airport and road like foreign countries, they said.. 'i have went outside and that is why i am talking too much". our people doesn't like developments..
Well a proud moment for Chennai I am sure this Terminal puts Chennai on par with any International Airports of this world. Indians are shameless people who go abroad and say how great those airports are-but we fail to actually recognize those people who stay in India and build airports as good as this and make us feel we are no leeser to anyone in this world and we do need to feel ashamed that we are from India-I mean from a Brick Layer who labors to the Management Consultant who breaks his/her mind or heart to complete a project like this they need to be applauded. In a NRI crazy nation I hope we change our views even in marriage we need only Green Card and UK residency as a minumum to chose a life partner.
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