The inauguration of the new domestic terminal at the Chennai airport now depends on the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO), which has to activate the new 11,000-KV sub-station at the airport.
According to airport sources, Consolidated Construction Consortium Limited (CCCL), the main contractor, has completed the civil works and wound up operations at the airport after testing the entire electrical system using diesel generators.
A senior Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said that CCCL personnel will come back only when the electrical sub-station is activated by TANGEDCO.
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When contacted, H.S. Suresh, Director-designate, Chennai airport, said: “We are trying our best to get the electrical sub-station activated by TANGEDCO. If that happens within a week, the AAI can start the testing, which will go on for a month. Once it is completed, the terminal will become operational.” Once the sub-station was activated, the AAI would check for fluctuation in supply.
The power has to be sourced from Kadapperi near Tambaram and the cables, at one point, have to pass through a metrowater pipeline. This will require clearance from the water board. Similarly, the cables have to be laid cross GST Road near Pallavaram. This has to be worked out with the National Highways authorities, said a senior AAI official.
AAI sources said the main work involving information and communication technology on features such as display boards, check-in-counters and security for airlines and inline scanning system had to be ready before the terminal could be put to use. Three months were required to complete this work.
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Further, the AAI had to procure aerobridges, which had to be delivered to Chennai. The calibration of the aerobridges was a time consuming process.