Chennai Floods: Naval Air Station Near City May be Temporary Airport for Commercial Flights

With the Chennai airport closed till December 6 following heavy rains and flood, the nearby naval air station at Arakonnam is likely to be turned into a makeshift airport.

NEW DELHI: With the Chennai airport closed till December 6 following heavy rains and flood, the nearby naval air station at Arakonnam is likely to be turned into a makeshift airport for commercial flights from tomorrow.

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In the run up to the possible new arrangement, national carrier Air India landed an Airbus A320 carrying passengers from Hyderabad at the Rajali naval air station at Arakkonam at 2047 hours today.

"We are hopeful of passenger flights landing there from tomorrow," Defence Ministry sources said.

Airports Authority of India has decided to keep the Chennai airport closed till December 6 due to the flooding of the operational and the surrounding area.

No flight has taken off from or landed at the Chennai airport since 8pm yesterday.

National Carrier Air India carried out a test landing at Arakkonam Naval Base off the Chennai airport, an official statement said. AI A320 Aircraft VT-EXA took off from Hyderabad and landed at MAA Arakkonam NAVAL Base at 2037 IST today. The flight made a safe and successful landing, it said.