Opening of airport arrivals hall still on backburner

Held up due to dearth of Customs staff: AAI officials

Since Chennai airport’s new international terminal was inaugurated in 2012, only the departure operations function out of it — Photo: M. Srinath

More than two years after the inauguration of Chennai airport, the arrival hall of the new international terminal is yet to be opened for passengers.

According to officials of Airports Authority of India (AAI), a dearth of Customs staff required to handle operations at the new terminal is holding up the commissioning of the hall.

Since Chennai airport’s new terminals were inaugurated and commissioned in 2012, departure operations function in the new international terminal while the arrivals continue at the old one.

“We are not sure when it can be commissioned. It remains uncertain since we are yet to get more Customs staff to manage the new one. Since there are a few additional facilities and procedures in the new terminal, we require more manpower to open it,” an AAI official in New Delhi said.

However, the Customs department had earlier indicated that additional staff would have to be deployed only if the process of shifting to the new international terminal was carried out in a phased manner. If AAI officials moved to the new terminal in a day’s time, there would be no need to seek extra manpower, they had said.

Before the move to the new arrival hall, there are some important issues to be addressed, said another AAI official. The new international terminal has only one baggage ramp to facilitate the movement of baggage between the aircraft and the terminal.

“Having just one ramp could cause congestion, leading to delays in retrieval of baggage in the arrival hall when it is commissioned. Also, there are safety issues in handling both departure and arrival operations with one ramp,” said another official. Though there is a plan to construct a new ramp, it has to be completed before the arrival hall is commissioned.