Chennai airport upgradation to be completed by year-end

Three-quarters of the upgradation and modernisation work at Chennai airport is complete and the remaining major construction activities are likely to end by  year end.

Almost 73% of the work has been completed as part of the physical progress of constructing the new integrated terminal buildings, its electrical and other construction, Airports Authority of India (AAI) sources said here today.

A premier international gateway and hub for South India, the 1,283 acre airport is operated by the AAI which is also carrying out its modernisation work.

Two major projects -- extension of the secondary runway and construction of a bridge over the river Adayar --have already been completed. While the cost of extending the runway was projected to be about Rs 240 crore, that of the bridge is almost Rs 230 crore.

A major feature in the extension of the runway is that it would enable the landing and take-off of the world's largest aircraft -- Airbus A-380s. One of the 70 parking bays available at Chennai Airport has also been made to park the superjumbo.

The total valuation of the project work is estimated to be about Rs 2,015 crore. As the Public Investment Board (PIB) had earlier cleared a total cost of Rs 1,808 crore, a fresh approval is required to be taken from the PIB.

The civil aviation ministry is likely to take up the matter with the finance ministry for early convening of a PIB meeting on the issue of cost overrun, they said.