Work on the Rs.70-crore parallel taxiway and the fourth aerobridge for the international terminal of Thiruvananthapuram airport will commence soon.
The tender formalities for the taxiway is nearing completion and work will begin soon, George G. Tharakan, who has taken over as the Airport Director, told The Hindu . Technical bids for the taxiway have been opened.
Mr. Tharakan said the parallel taxiway would enable landing aircraft to vacate the runway swiftly. At present, the runway occupancy of aircraft is eight minutes.
The airport has a 543-metre parallel taxiway from the runway to the new international terminal. In addition to this, a 1,595-metre-long parallel taxiway will be set up. The project is to be completed within 12 months of awarding the works.
The international terminal will get a fourth aerobridge at a cost of Rs.20.98 crore. This will help regulate the rush during the early hours of the day when there is a bunching of flights from the Middle East. The terminal building has to be extended by 77 metres to fix the aerobridge at the requisite position. For this, Mr. Tharakan said, civil works amounting to Rs.50 lakh needed to be taken up.
An electrical engineering graduate from T.K.M. Engineering College, Kollam, Mr. Tharakan joined the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in 1989 and has 26 years’ experience in administration, operation, construction, and maintenance of airports. Prior to the new assignment, Mr. Tharakan, a native of Kidangannur in Aranmula, was associated with the construction and operation of the new integrated terminal building in Goa.
The Airport Director said his priority would be to enhance passengers’ comfort and to improve infrastructure in the airport for the operating airlines. Wi-Fi facility would be launched before June, he added.
