THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The phenomenal increase in passenger traffic and the state government’s silence on acquiring land required for terminal expansion have prompted the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Limited (TIAL) to launch a grandiose development project within the existing facility.
The old domestic terminal (T1) on Shankhumukham side will be demolished to make way for a new world-class domestic terminal.
Furthermore, the international terminal (T2) will be expanded with the addition of 50,000 square feet, sources close to TIAL said.
The airport authorities have also submitted a proposal to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to provide a special zone for domestic passengers. The approval is expected within a month.
The T1 demolition will begin next year after the work on the additional 50,000 square feet of space at T2 (Chackai side) is completed. This will allow the domestic terminal to be operated temporarily from T2. The master plan for airport expansion was amended to include this proposal, and the revised plan was submitted to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) for approval.
The plan is expected to be cleared before March 31, 2024. Once it is approved, work on expanding the terminal will begin. Demolition of the domestic terminal will start only after completely shifting domestic operations to T2.
‘TIAL handled over 1.3mn Domestic PAX’
Sources said TIAL decided to expand the T2 terminal as there has been an exceptional rise in passenger traffic and the number of flights. “The domestic terminal handled around 1.2 million passengers in previous years. It has crossed 1.3 million this year. The average number of daily passengers at the airport is expected to cross 15,000 shortly. More flights have been introduced, and fares have normalised due to the introduction of many budget airlines. Hence, there is an imminent need for airport expansion. Since the state government remains silent on land acquisition, we have proposed to develop the terminal at the existing facility,” they said.
The master plan will be a game changer in terms of connectivity and infrastructure. It has proposed a five-star hotel near the international terminal and a new air traffic control tower. The number of passengers relying on Thiruvananthapuram Airport has doubled over the past two years. Over the same period, on average, international flights have increased 120%, with domestic services up 110%.