Infrastructure
An illustration of new terminal of Trichy airport (AAI)
The construction of the new integrated passenger terminal at Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) Airport will be completed by June 2023.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) has undertaken the expansion work of Trichy Airport to enhance its capacity multifold to 3.63 million passengers per annum (MPPA).
The ongoing work includes construction of a New Integrated Terminal Building (NITB), a new Apron, Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower, and upgradation of Air side facilities.
The NITB being constructed at a cost of Rs 951 crore will accommodate 2,900 passengers during peak hours. In a release, AAI said that more than 85 per cent of the construction work for the terminal building is completed.
With an area of 75,000 sq m, the new terminal building has been designed as an iconic structure of dynamic and dramatic building form with majestic roof. The interiors of the building reflect the colors and culture of the city through materials and textures in a contemporary manner.
Equipped with 48 check-in counters and 10 boarding bridges, the terminal will be an energy efficient building with sustainable features.
The airport expansion project has been undertaken to make it suitable for five wide-body (Code E) or ten narrow body aircraft (Code C) aircrafts. The expansion project also includes a four-lane elevated access road connecting the terminal building to the city.
Trichy
Tiruchirappalli, commonly referred as Trichy is situated on the banks of Kaveri River. Considered as the geographical center of Tamil Nādu, the city is a very popular tourist attraction, besides pilgrimage center.
Historic, but also majestic, is the Srirangam Temple with 21 Gopurams which is situated in Sri Rangam about 7 km from Trichy. The Raja Gopuram of this temple is considered to be the largest in South India.
Also known as Ranganathaswamy Temple, it is believed to be constructed during the Vijayanagar period (1336–1565) and is India's largest temple compound.
Trichy Airport
Tiruchirappalli or Trichy International Airport is the smallest airport in India and is situated close to the center of the city.
It is the second largest airport in Tamil Nadu in terms of international passenger traffic after Chennai and the third largest in total passenger traffic next to Chennai and Coimbatore.
The development of aviation infrastructure will ensure enhanced air connectivity for the people of Trichy and surrounding areas in Tamil Nadu. It also makes the journey to Sri Rangam easy and comfortable.
Besides Chennai, Tamil Nadu has five operational airports – Trichy, Madurai, Coimbatore, Thoothukudi, and Salem. The state government has now commissioned a study to explore the feasibility of setting up an airport in the industrial city of Hosur located just outside Bengaluru.
Apart from this, the state government has recently selected Parandur near Sriperumbudur as the site to construct the Chennai’s second airport. The proposed second airport is approximately 57 kilometers away from the existing one at Meenambakkam.