THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite the recent increase in the number of flight services at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, the airport’s expansion plan still remains on paper. Though the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Limited (TIAL) submitted the request report to the state government for the expansion, which necessitated acquiring 18 acres of nearby land, a year ago, the government is yet to give its approval.
Similarly, the acquisition of 16 acres of government land to expand the airport’s runway, too, has come to a standstill owing to the apathy shown by the state government, sources said. However, the airport authorities are planning to develop the airport by acquiring 44,000 sq feet of land close to T2 (the international terminal) once the master plan of the airport is approved by AERA (the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority).
Once the additional space is built, the current domestic terminal near Shankumugham will be demolished to make room for an improved one. Domestic services will be provided from the present international terminal this time.
The TIAL submitted the proposal to the state transport department in July last year. The acquisition of additional 34 acres of land was under consideration by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Later, it was handed over to the revenue department for land acquisition proceedings.
Of the 34 acres, 18 need to be acquired at Vayyamoola for terminal expansion and 16 near Brahmos Aerospace to expand the runway in order to accommodate a larger number of flights. According to a top state government official, the transport department has given its approval for land acquisition, which is still under the consideration of the chief minister.
“The proposal is yet to be approved by the CM. Since the airport has been privatised, there will be some procedures for land acquisition. So it will take some more time,” the official said.
The airport’s expansion has been put on hold for several years due to opposition from the residents of Vayyamoola. Though the Airport Authority of India (AAI) had decided to acquire 18 acres in 2014, residents led by the Vallakadavu-Vayyamoola joint action council raised protests, saying it would affect their livelihood.
After three years of uncertainty, the district collector held a public meeting in October 2017 in which the residents agreed to conduct a social impact assessment in the area to identify the affected people.As per the study, the project will displace 105 families and require the acquisition of land accordingly. However, the residents of Vayyamoola were offered Rs 3 lakh each to build a house. The land acquisition had come to a standstill three years ago as the fund from the AAI stopped due to the privatisation of the airport.
Domestic, International terminal to be refurbished
Meanwhile, there is an immediate plan to refurbish the T1 (domestic) and T2 (international) terminals by upgrading the amenities starting next month. Sources close to the airport told TNIE that the major expansion, as per the master plan, is to develop the international terminal by decongesting the existing terminal.
“The customs section and the arrival section of the international terminal will be expanded by adding 44,000 square feet. Currently, there is a rush in the international terminal due to an increase in passengers. So decongesting the international section will be the top priority.”
Similarly, both the internal and domestic terminals will be renovated. All the facilities, such as toilets and lounges, will be upgraded to international standards at the domestic terminal. Once the master plan is implemented, the existing domestic terminal will be demolished for a comprehensive upgrade,” a source said.
The master plan for the airport will be a game changer in terms of connectivity and infrastructure. It also proposes a five-star hotel near the international terminal and a new air traffic control (ATC) tower.
The number of passengers relying on Thiruvananthapuram airport has more than doubled in the past two years. Sources said there is a 120% increase in international flights and a 110% increase in domestic flights on average per week. At present, over 10,500 passengers are using the airport daily, compared to 4,000 two years ago.