As soon as the announcement about the second airport for the city at Parandur in Kancheepuram district emerged, while many were ecstatic that Chennai will finally get an airport with world class facilities, there were also air passengers who dreaded thinking of the travel time and cost they might have to endure.
According to the report prepared by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), this site is located 59 km from the currently operational airport at Meenambakkam and will take nearly an hour-and-a-half of travel time or even more.
So, as the planning for the second airport is taking shape now, the State government will have to simultaneously think of a high-speed rail or other means of transport, urban planning experts say. Since the plan is to keep both airports — at Meenambakkam and Parandur — operational, air passengers should have quick, comfortable and affordable transport options to travel from the city, they say.
It will take about 5-7 years to chalk out a proposal, mobilise funding and build a high speed rail from Chennai airport to Parandur airport. “Passengers should be able to travel between both airports within 15-20 minutes. The fares may be quite expensive for passengers but many wouldn’t mind paying because they can save time. This will be a cost intensive exercise for the State government too, but unless we have such options, it will be a laborious process for people to travel,” an expert from IIT-Madras says.
K. P. Subramanian, an urban planning expert says, the high speed rail option aside, the government can also consider extending the Chennai Metro from the existing airport or from Poonamallee station upto the new airport. “It can be a point-to-point service too because there may not be patronage in many locations beyond city limits. So, the government will have to start thinking immediately about the type of public transport which needs to be established before the new airport becomes operational,” he adds.
Passengers say, for those who don’t own a vehicle, travelling by cabs to Parandur will work out to be a very expensive affair and sometimes, they may end up paying as much as the flight fare itself. While there are a host of issues with the existing Chennai airport, many find it convenient to travel, since it has good connectivity and is within the city limits.
V. Santhanam, a resident of Chrompet, says, there should also be exclusive shuttle service from the existing airport to the new airport and connectivity provided to important locations in various parts of the city. It should be planned with a good frequency too.
