Date:02/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/02/stories/2009010254340500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Renovated hall at Chennai airport to be opened by month-end

P.Oppili

Works taken up at the cost of Rs 28.40 crore

— Photo: A Muralitharan

IN DISCUSSION: Airport Director K. Natarajan (left), with officials at the renovated arrival hall at the Anna International terminal at Chennai airport on Wednesday.

CHENNAI: The renovated arrival hall at the Anna international terminal at the Chennai airport will become operational by this month end.

Airport Director K. Natarajan told The Hindu that all the civil works were completed. Four conveyors needed to be installed at the hall. Already the conveyor machine has arrived, which would be installed before this month end, he said.

The renovation works were taken up in 7,850 square metres area in the ground floor and 3,640 square metres in the first floor at the cost of Rs 28.40 crore. The renovation work began in January 2008 and it would be completed ahead of the scheduled project period, Mr Natarajan said.

With the completion of renovation works the arrival hall at the international terminal would measure nearly 15,800 square metres, which included the existing arrival hall. A new Automated Teller Machine of a nationalised bank would be installed at the hall.

Immigration counters would be provided space at the first floor and the work there would be completed by this month end, he said. In order to help the passengers, plasma television sets would be installed for displaying information.

Once the conveyors are installed the partition between the existing arrival hall and the renovated hall would be knocked down and a total of eight conveyor belts would be available at the arrival hall.

The Airports Authority of India official had also made adequate provisions for loading the baggage from the coaches into the conveyor belts at the renovated arrival hall. In the existing arrival hall there was a space constraint. Whenever a coach comes to drop the baggage at the first conveyor belt on the southern side, it would be difficult for any other coach to reach other conveyor belts.