Chennai airport worth ₹2,476 cr gets clearance

In a recent development, the Phase II of the modernization of Chennai airport entailing an investment of ₹2,476 crore has secured clearance from the environment ministry. The expansion will be carried out within the existing airport premises without the need for additional land acquisition, said official sources, claiming that the passengers' capacity after modernization will be 30 million per annum. The project involves demolishing and reconstructing the existing old domestic and international terminals with additional 16 million passengers per annum (MPPA). It will ease congestion during peak hours in both domestic and international terminals, particularly at immigration area. The ministry has issued 33 specific conditions in the environmental clearance that include taking up flood mitigation measures. It may be recalled that Chennai airport normally gets flooded, suspending flight operations, and in view of this, Airports Authority of India (AAI), which is the project proponent, had been directed to implement the flood control measures including upgrading and modernizing other facilities as the recommended by IIT- Madras.