Chennai airport, spread across 1,317 acres at present, will soon be expanded to reach a capacity of 60 million passengers per annum (MPPA) with a plan to prepare the master plan for the next 50 years.

Authorities are planning to hire a consultant to prepare a master plan within the next six months.

“Modernisation of the airport will enable it to handle 35 million passengers. It will be expanded later to handle 50 to 60 million passengers,” airport director Dr Sharad Kumar said.

“We will build terminals and cargo complexes. We should have the handling capacity before demand peaks,” he added.

The current airport is expected to be functional even after building a new airport for Chennai, as the present investments in expanding this facility would not go waste.

Tamil Nadu government has zeroed in on four sites, Parandur, Pannur, Thiruporur, and Padalam, for a second airport to the state capital.

The union government has shortlisted Parandur and Pannur, less than 30km from Sriperumbudur, reports The New Indian Express.

It is estimated that the Chennai airport’s new integrated terminal will be ready by August and may be put to use by October this year.

The new terminal under construction in two phases will enhance the handling capacity of Chennai airport from 21 million passengers per annum to 35 million passengers per annum.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 2,467 crore. It also includes a multi-level mechanised car park and integration of Metro rail.

The New integrated terminal, with a total area of more than two lakh square metres, will be used for both International and Domestic operations.