AAI gives height clearance for new Air Traffic Control Tower at Tiruchi airport

 The Airports Authority of India has given height clearance for the proposed new Technical Block- cum-Air Traffic Control Tower at the Tiruchi International Airport.

The clearance has been given for 46 metres height for the proposed structure which would be taller than the new integrated passenger terminal building that is under construction at present.

The height clearance from the NOC (No Objection Certificate) Cell of the AAI headquarters came last week and the location of the new Technical Block-cum-Air Traffic Control Tower has been finalised within the airport premises, P. Sree Krishna, General Manager - Projects, Airports Authority of India, Tiruchi Airport, told The Hindu on Friday.

The new tower forms part of the mega project under which construction of a new passenger terminal building and a new Apron were currently under way for upgradation of the non-metro Tiruchi airport.

With the height clearance having come through, the Airports Authority of India would prepare the preliminary estimate for the construction of the new structure and initiate the tendering process. “The new building would enable the Air Traffic Controllers to have a 360 degree view of the airport, besides providing them with a clear view of both ends of the runway. The proposed technical block-cum-air traffic tower control would come up between the existing apron and the new passenger terminal building,” said Mr. Sree Krishna adding that the new structure would come up in about 18 months from the time of the award of the contract.

Mr. Sree Krishna, who is monitoring the pace of the new passenger terminal coming up close to the existing one within the airport premises, said nearly 80 % of the works relating to construction of the new Apron have been completed. The plan was to complete the remaining works by April. The new Apron can accommodate 11 aircraft at a time.

Similarly, 80 % of the works have been completed in respect of the Isolation Bay. He said nearly 47 % of the works for the new integrated passenger terminal were over. The new terminal which will come up on an area exceeding 70,000 square metres is estimated to handle around 3.63 million passengers a year. It will be able to handle 2,900 passengers at peak hour.