New airport terminal to be ready by 2021

Trichy: Work on the proposed terminal building at the Trichy international airport, which is touted to be a first-of-its-kind in the country in many ways, will be completed by 2021 September, general manager (engineering) of Airport Authority of India, New Delhi, Sanjeev Jindal said. While addressing reporters here on Sunday, he said that the AAI has spared no efforts in making the terminal one of the bests in the world.
The work has already started without affecting the existing flight operations at the land available with AAI in Trichy, he said. He unveiled the artistic impression of a miniature of the proposed terminal building with a capacity to handle 3.63 million passengers per annum. He said the new terminal would have two-level air-conditioned modular integrated building having an area of 61,634 square meters, he said.

“Chennai airport has already reached its saturation level both in cargo and passenger traffic. The overflow from Chennai airport can come to nearby airports like Trichy and it will become an alternative to Chennai airport. The existing terminal building would be utilised for cargo operations,” he said.

While elaborating the architectural approach of the new terminal, he said that the iconic form of the airport terminal was inspired by elements of the ornamental roof of the famous ‘gopurams’ of south Indian architecture reflecting the culture of the region, he said. “The majestic roof of the structure is symbolic and contemporary which looms over the departure concourse, imparting a strong derivation of traditional south Indian architecture making it a first in India. Terminal roof, flooring patterns, column cladding, feature walls and even the signage design are inspired by the local arts, culture and traditions,” he said.

The terminal building will be constructed as per GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) Four Star standards. It is a sustainable design which maximises the use of natural light within the building and incorporates renewable energy measures such as rainwater harvesting, ground source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels, he added.

Since the new terminal would be a modular type, any expansion or alterations can be executed without affecting the existing structure. There was a plan to generate more energy by all means, so that the excess energy could be used for the society, he said.

Airport director K Gunasekaran said, “After the completion of the building, AAI has plans to operate cargo with wide body aircraft from Trichy. There are also plans to connect European cities directly from Trichy,” he said.

Chief operating officer of Egis India, Vikas Chopra said, “To deliver world-class engineering, our team considers airport in a holistic view, beyond activities specific to air traffic. We integrate airport transport services, city side facilities and other networks with special attention to city-specific nuances, he said.

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