A new state-of-the-art integrated passenger terminal building at the fast-growing Tiruchi international airport is expected to be ready by 2021.
“The mega project will be executed only on land belonging to Airports Authority of India (AAI) within the sprawling Tiruchi airport premises,” Collector K. Rajamani said on Wednesday.
Land belonging to either the government or others would not be acquired for the construction of the new passenger terminal, Mr. Rajamani stressed at a public hearing meeting organised here on Wednesday.
The public hearing was organised by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board ahead of the execution of the new integrated terminal building and Apron within the airport premises.
Senior officials of Airports Authority of India, Tiruchi Airport, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, representatives of the project consultancy firm-EGIS India, which designed the swanky structure, and district administration officials were present.
Responding to queries raised by a section of the public, the Collector reiterated that the project would be taken up only on land belonging to AAI within the airport premises and that no additional lands would be acquired for the project.
The new terminal project was separate from the airport expansion project, which included increasing the length of the runway.
“The terminal building works are likely to start in October, and we can see a new passenger terminal building in 2021,” the Collector said adding that the project would be taken up without affecting public movement.
To a suggestion from a participant to engage local labour in the construction of the mega project, Tiruchi Airport Director K. Gunasekaran said 75% of the workers would be engaged locally.
Earlier, a detailed presentation was made on behalf of AAI on the project along with associated works. The estimated cost of the project is over ₹733 crore.
P. Sri Krishna, General Manager (Projects), AAI Tiruchi Airport, said the public hearing was mandatory for the mega project in order to obtain clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The proceedings of the meetings would be forwarded to the Environment Ministry to obtain its clearance.
Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board Divisional Environmental Engineer R. Lakshmi spoke on the occasion.