Stating that the Government of India was “fully and completely” committed to building a new greenfield airport at Parandur in Chennai, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said the project was under examination by it.
He told reporters here on Saturday that the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (TIDCO) had sent a proposal for the “ambitious programme” at Parandur, which was examined by the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Airports Authority of India, and the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation.
“There are some critical bottlenecks to growth and this is where the State government has to come forward. There are many airports where we want to expand. Chennai should grow to handle 55 million passengers a year and we need 200 acres of land to make that is possible,” he said.
Union Ministers Jyotiradiya M. Scindia, L. Murugan and MP T.R. Baalu inaugurating multilevel car parking at Chennai Airport on Saturday. | Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ
In two phases, the new integrated terminal at Chennai airport will be opened with a plan to inaugurate the first phase by March and the second phase by the end of next year, he said. The passenger traffic at Chennai airport was expected to touch 36 million passengers a year with a capability to have 45 aircraft movements an hour, he said.
Earlier, he inaugurated the new multi-level car parking facility at Chennai airport.
Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi N.V.N. Somu, who was present, urged Mr. Scindia to decrease the airfares. To This, Mr. Scindia said: “If the State government reduces the VAT on ATF from 29% to 1%, the fares will certainly come down.”
Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu said the State government had been taking many initiatives to modernise the airports in the State and that the government had been extending all support to the Centre in the acquisition of land.
Mr. Scindia inaugurated a new facility at the airport for domestic transit passengers wherein the new pathway had been created so that domestic passengers who arrive can quickly finish the security procedure and head to the departure for boarding the next flight.
