A travelator, connecting the domestic and international terminals right at the entrance, will most likely be ready for use by the end of the year.
Airport officials said they planned to award the tender for this facility by the end of the month and it is likely to be completed by the year-end.
“This facility is estimated to cost Rs. 40 crore; of that Rs. 25 crore will be spent towards civil work and the remaining Rs. 15 crore for other installation related works. We have started work to award the contract and the contractor will be given nine months to complete the work,” an official said.
The travelator was originally a part of phase I modernisation of Chennai airport that was taken up few years ago; but it was later dropped from the project for various reasons.
Recently, when the phase II of the project was announced, officials said travelator work will be taken up. Though the phase II itself is yet to begin, the work on installation of the travelator alone will be carried out at first since the facility has already been delayed for years now, sources said.
Not many transit passengers are aware that there is a small travelator within the airport past the security check areas that connects the domestic and international terminals.
Kesavan S, a frequent flyer, said, “Few months ago, one of my friends, a first time flyer, mistakenly went to the international terminal instead of the domestic where he had to catch a flight; he landed up walking all the way back to the domestic terminal with his baggage. It is extremely important to have a travelator at the entry point [of both terminals] and it would help thousands of people.”
Airport officials said they planned to award the tender for this facility by the end of the month and it is likely to be completed by the year-end.
“This facility is estimated to cost Rs. 40 crore; of that Rs. 25 crore will be spent towards civil work and the remaining Rs. 15 crore for other installation related works. We have started work to award the contract and the contractor will be given nine months to complete the work,” an official said.
The travelator was originally a part of phase I modernisation of Chennai airport that was taken up few years ago; but it was later dropped from the project for various reasons.
Recently, when the phase II of the project was announced, officials said travelator work will be taken up. Though the phase II itself is yet to begin, the work on installation of the travelator alone will be carried out at first since the facility has already been delayed for years now, sources said.
Not many transit passengers are aware that there is a small travelator within the airport past the security check areas that connects the domestic and international terminals.
Kesavan S, a frequent flyer, said, “Few months ago, one of my friends, a first time flyer, mistakenly went to the international terminal instead of the domestic where he had to catch a flight; he landed up walking all the way back to the domestic terminal with his baggage. It is extremely important to have a travelator at the entry point [of both terminals] and it would help thousands of people.”