The new integrated terminal building (NITB) of Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The event took place on Tuesday and was also attended by Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Union Minister of State for Road, Transport and Highways and Civil Aviation, General (Retd.) V K Singh.
During the inauguration, a statue of V D Savarkar was unveiled on the airport premises, and the ministers explored the establishment. The unique design of the terminal resembles a shell, reflecting the natural beauty of the islands.
Notable features
One of the notable features of the building is its emphasis on eco-friendliness, with the entire terminal designed to harness 100% natural lighting for 12 hours daily through strategically placed skylights on the roof.
The construction of the NITB was necessitated by the increasing passenger traffic, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) undertook the project at an estimated cost of Rs707.73 crores.
Spanning across 40,837 sq metres, the new terminal has the capacity to accommodate 1,200 passengers during peak hours and serve approximately 40 lakh passengers annually.
Equipped with modern facilities, the three-story building boasts 28 check-in counters, three passenger boarding bridges, and four conveyor belts to efficiently handle passenger flow.