Chennai Airport Set For Major Expansion

Lakshmi Subramanian - Chennai

The Chennai airport is undertaking a host of initiatives to ensure that becomes one of the top airports in the country. The Airports Authority of India has spent close to Rs 1.5 crore and has lined up many more initiatives. "Some airports are profit making while some loss making, in that light, Chennai is definitely a profit-making airport and has helped in initiating restructuring activities. All of these expansions are directed towards giving the customer maximum comfort," says R J Treasuryvala, airport director, Chennai Airport.

The airport gets its revenue from shop rent, rent paid by airlines for space occupied, rent from car park, landing and parking charges. The revenue garnered is utlised for maintenance and expansion. Some of the major expansions lined up include a new international departure terminal, vitrified tile flooring, car park, new signage boards, new reserved lounge, refurbishment of the ceremonial lounge, fancy lighting, sprinkler system for the runway, rest area for taxi drivers, plasma TVs, PA music systems which are completed till date. The airport has also introduced state-of-the-art technology with new escalators and conveyor belts.

The most important feature of Chennai airport is the Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE), the shared use departure system at the international departure terminal. There are several check-in counters in operation at the international terminal. Earlier each airline was designated certain number of counters, which would be occupied only when that particular airline is in action. With the CUTE system any airline can operate any counter ensuring that the counters are functioning at all times of the day. The system allows airlines to share check-in, departure control and back-office operation, increasing efficiency and reducing congestion and ensuring the passenger's pleasant journey through the airport. Both Lufthansa and Emirates have already signed up for this system, which is particularly useful in the international terminal where several flights operate with lot of passengers.

In the year 2004-05, the domestic terminal received 5.8 million passengers as compared to 2.5 million passengers in 2003-04. As for the international terminal, it received 6.1 million passengers in the year 2004-05 as compared to 2.05 million in 2003-04. There have been 51264 airport movements in terms of landing and takeoff. In addition, the airport received 149.85 million tonnes of cargo with majority being textiles and leather. The airport director attributes the success of the airport to his team of employees who have been doing great service.