Soon, the Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair- the gateway to the pristine Andaman and Nicobar islands, is going to have a world-class terminal building. Keeping in view the surge in passenger traffic, the den of the New Integrated Terminal Building has been undertaken by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at an estimated cost of approximately Rs 707.73 crore. The new terminal building, with a total built up area of 40,837 square metres, will be capable to handle as many as 1200 passengers during peak hours and nearly 40 lakhs flyers annually. Port Blair Airport’s new passenger terminal building will have three floors in total consisting of lower ground, upper ground and first floor.
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the lower ground floor of the new terminal building will be used as remote arrival, service area and bus lounge; the upper ground floor as the terminal building’s access for passenger arrival and departure, while the first floor as Security Hold Area for international flyers. The terminal design is inspired by nature as it is a shell-shaped structure depicting sea and islands. The new terminal building is a 120 metre structural steel framed building equipped with aluminum sheet roofing as well as cable net glazing all around. The entire terminal building will also have 100% natural lighting for twelve hours a day which will be achieved by skylights along the roof.
The world-class terminal building will be equipped with a total of 28 check-in counters, three passenger boarding bridges as well as four conveyor belts. The ministry said the airport’s city side area will be developed as well with adequate parking facilities for car, taxi as well as buses along with the landscaping. At present, the construction of an additional Apron area of the airport is also in progress which will add four additional bays for the aircraft parking. So far, more than 80 per cent of project work is completed and the development project is targeted for completion by the month of October this year.
According to the ministry, the new terminal building’s operationalization will give a boost to the tourism industry, thereby improving the economy of the region. Also, it will generate new employment opportunities for the locals as well as provide access to better medical and educational facilities.