On 15 June 2007, The Prime Minister Committee on Infrastructure at its meeting approved the proposal for Airports Authority of India (AAI) to undertake the modernisation of the existing airport in Chennai.

The modernisation of the existing airport will get under way after the Public Investment Board (PIB) clears the project, Work on Phase I of the modernisation of the existing airport is estimated at around Rs.2,300 crore.

The airport currently caters to 2.8 million passengers in the international terminal while its capacity is 3 million. Similarly, the domestic terminal handled 5.9 million passengers during 2006-07 and has a capacity to handle 6 million passengers annually. Likewise, the airport handles about 25 aircraft movement per hour and at the present rate its capacity to handle aircraft movement could get saturated by 2014-15.

A major portion of the cost of modernisation and restructuring is to go towards construction of runway, taxiway and apron, which are alone expected to cost around Rs.1,100 crore.

Also See:

Kolkata airport modernisation to be taken up, decision yet awaits for Chennai airport (19-Apr-07)