Chennai, July 23 (IANS) The second phase of expansion at Chennai International Airport is progressing rapidly, with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) setting March 2026 as the deadline for completion.

A high-level team from New Delhi, led by AAI Chairman Vipin Kumar, inspected the ongoing works and is scheduled to continue the review on Wednesday.

The visit aimed at reviewing the project’s progress, with officials underlining the importance of sticking to the timeline to accommodate growing passenger volumes and improve operational efficiency.

The new terminal under construction covers an area of 86,135 square meters and is being equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities.

Once operational, it will significantly boost the airport’s capacity. The phase 2 expansion, estimated at Rs 1,207 crore, will feature eight entry gates, 60 check-in counters, 10 X-ray scanners, nine remote boarding gates, and eight aerobridges.

In addition, advanced baggage conveyor systems and automated scanners are being installed to enhance security and streamline passenger movement.

The expansion is in response to the steady growth in passenger traffic at Chennai Airport, which has increased from 2.2 crore in 2015 to an expected 3.5 crore by the end of 2025.

The AAI had proposed the project in 2017, which was subsequently approved by the Central government with funding from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Spanning a total of 2.36 lakh square meters, the airport expansion is being executed in two phases. Phase 1, built across 1.49 lakh square meters at a cost of Rs 1,260 crore, faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic but was finally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 8, 2023.

Following its commissioning, the old Terminal 3 was demolished to make way for Phase 2. Once the second phase is completed, Chennai Airport will operate four integrated terminals – T1, T2, T3, and T4 – with a combined annual passenger handling capacity exceeding 3.5 crore.

The revamped layout will also support over 500 aircraft movements per day.

The design will allow seamless access for both domestic and international passengers, helping reduce congestion and wait times.

Officials stressed the need to accelerate the construction timeline to ensure the airport is ready to meet the increasing demands of one of India’s busiest aviation hubs.

–IANS

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