One hundred and thirty six passengers from Mumbai, who arrived here by a Kingfisher airline flight here on Monday, were in for a surprise when they were allowed to exit through the newly built domestic terminal.
The swanky new terminal is nearing completion and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) had a successful trial of the new domestic terminal-2.
E.P. Hareendranathan, Airport Director, Chennai airport, said the new terminal was ready for trial in January itself, but it could not be tested immediately as there was a delay in giving power supply to the building, which ought to have been done in December last year. Power supply was received only in March this year. Thereafter, testing and commissioning of all installed equipment and services required a minimum period of 45 days, he said.
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The new terminal is an elegant modern structure, defined by its dramatic twin wing-like hovering roofs, providing a 300-metre-long column-free space. The open web super steel structure, hidden from view, rises to support the twin-curved roofs. The structural framework will allow natural light to penetrate the terminal with a constantly changing pattern of shade and shadow, Mr Hareendranathan said.
Another speciality in the building is the energy conservation efficiency, which will be achieved by the use of latest technologies, such as use of CFL and T5 lamps for illumination.
Water efficient landscaping, rainwater harvesting, water efficient fixtures, use of grey water for air-conditioning cooling system and an innovative effluent treatment plant to treat waste water were some of the green measures done at the new building, he said.
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The new domestic terminal located adjacent to the existing domestic terminal will be able to handle 3,300 passengers per hour and a total of 10 million passengers per annum.
This arrival-cum-departure terminal will be more spacious and better equipped with more number of check-in counters and X-ray machines, among other facilities.