Chennai airport to make flying fun for passengers

CHENNAI: The Chennai airport is gearing up to welcome passengers with more ‘cosmopolitan comforts’ from this year. Passengers may be able to shop at the airport, park cars at a multi-level car park and even watch their favourite movies. And this could be possible with the inauguration of the Multi-Level Car Parking (MLCP) and other commercial facilities this year.

Although the tentative date for inauguration of the MLCP is October 21, a Chennai airport official said that 90 per cent of the work has been completed. “Only 10% of the work is pending. Both east and west blocks of MLCP could be opened together,” he said.

Once inaugurated, the Chennai airport will be the first in the country to have multi-modal  connectivity. “You can take the road, suburban trains or the Metro. You have all modes of transport available,” said the  official. It is learnt that the airport planned the MLCP based on requirements for the next 15 years to ease traffic congestion. “MLCP can accommodate 2,160 cars. It has been planned for 15 years.

At present, the parking capacity is only 750 cars,” the official told Express.Earlier, the airport had planned a hotel transit facility for flyers. “But since the Metro is providing us some rooms, that requirement has been fulfilled,” said the  official.

The official said that the multiplex theatre will come up  in an area of 42,331 sq ft and retail shops and food courts will come up in an area of 1,97,807 sq ft. He said passengers who have to wait for a long time for their flights can access the commercial area or watch a film before boarding their next flight. Interestingly, even local residents will be allowed in the commercial area and the multiplex theatre,  said the official. This could be a boon to Metro rail commuters as well!

4.2 acres demarcated
Chennai airport had demarcated 4.25 acres of land in two parcels at the Chennai International Airport for constructing the MLCP and commercial facilities