Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the renovated domestic terminal of Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) on Wednesday. The T-1 terminal was reconstructed to global standards at a cost of ₹240 crore. It has adopted the traditional architecture style blending it with all modern airport facilities.
The terminal can handle 4,000 passengers in an hour with its enhanced space of six lakh sq ft.
There will be 56 check-in counters, seven aerobridges, a state-of-the-art conveyor belt system that can handle baggage from 12 flights at a time, six reserved lounges, an executive lounge, art arcade, food court, prayer rooms and toilet complexes.
The highlight of the renovated terminal, designed on the theme of traditional ‘Ettukettu’, is the Kerala Art Arcade near the security check area at Level-2. Set up on the theme of ‘Nadumittam’ of a ‘Nalukettu’, it houses an exact replica of a ‘Koothambalam’, mural paintings, and a display of the State’s traditional art forms including Koodiyattom, Mohiniyattom, Ottanthullal, Koothu and Theyyam.
Solar carport
The Chief Minister will also inaugurate the enhanced solar power production facility (40 MWp). Solar panels have been installed on the roof of the car park at Terminal-1. With the commissioning of the new carport for T-1, CIAL will have the largest solar carport (5.1 MWp) in the world, said a press release here. CIAL is the winner of the UN’s Champion of Earth Award-2018 for its solar energy initiatives.
M.A. Yusuff Ali, director, CIAL, will welcome the gathering at the inauguration. V.J. Kurian, managing director, will deliver the introductory speech. Executive director A.M. Shabbeer will present the technical report and Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar will preside. Mathew T. Thomas, MLA, who is also a director of CIAL, will address the gathering.
The renovation work of the terminal, which was earlier handling international operations, was started about 18 months ago to cater for the growing passenger patronage.
CIAL handled nearly five million domestic passengers in 2017-18.
The domestic traffic is expected to touch 10 million in another five years.
