HYDERABAD: Finally, passenger traffic at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport will now be better handled. In a move to decongest the facility, a new interim international departures terminal was inaugurated on Wednesday; the same will become operational by October 23. Spread over an area of 1 lakh square feet, the temporary terminal will exclusively cater to international passengers.
This will be the arrangement for the next three years by when, the ongoing expansion of the main airport is expected to be completed.
“This arrangement was done keeping the growth of passenger traffic in mind; it has spiked from 10 million in 2015 to a whopping 20 million passengers in 2018,” said CEO of Greater Hyderabad International Airport Limited SGK Kishore.
“We are expecting the traffic to further increase to 40 million in the next three years. This interim terminal will reduce inconvenience to passengers due to increase in volume,” he said. Arrivals will continue to be handled by the present, existing facility. With a total budget of Rs 50 crore, the interim facility was built within just six months. It has 40 check-in counters, 30 immigration points and an exclusive check point for business class passengers among other things.
It would also have India’s first remote hand baggage screening facility, a non-intrusive way of checking hand baggage before boarding.
Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Rajiv Nayan Choubey claimed the interim terminal would provide a glimpse of what future air travel would be like. “Various automation initiatives at the new facility and RGIA are in tune with our plans of implementing seamless Digi Yatra, where all that you would need is a smile on your face and a mobile in your hand,” he said. “No human intervention would be required from the time you check-in to the time you board.”
The new terminal which is adjoining the existing airport was built in place of the Aerobridge that was present there. The terminal is also unique in a way that it uses Pre Engineering Building Technology, which means it can be dismantled and taken elsewhere. “Once the main airport’s expansion is over, this terminal may be used as a Haj Terminal, or as a VIP terminal or may be dismantled altogether,” added SGK Kishore.
