The commissioning of the arrival hall at the new domestic terminal at the Chennai airport, which was scheduled for Sunday, has been postponed, pending a safety assessment by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
However, there was no change in the proposal to collect user development fee from exiting passengers in both the domestic and international sectors from Sunday. The DGCA ordered an exclusive safety assessment of the re-modified ramp at the basement of the new terminal building, airport officials said.
H.S. Suresh, Airport Director, Chennai airport, said a trial on the re-modified ramp was conducted on Friday in the presence of DGCA officials. When tractors were used on the ramp, the officials expressed concern about its safety. The DGCA favoured an exclusive safety assessment.
Mr. Suresh said a committee comprising officials from the DGCA and the Safety wing of the Airports Authority of India, New Delhi, would carry out the assessment. A senior AAI officer said the ramp was meant to operate battery-operated, eco-friendly tugs. Another officer said the basement area at the terminal building did not have any ventilation.
