Thiruvananthapuram Airport Expansion Faces Delay Over Environmental Clearance

The much-awaited expansion of the international terminal (T2) at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, under Project Anantha, is reportedly set to be delayed due to the pending environmental clearance (EC), Times of India reported.

Initially expected to commence in April, construction work on T2 is (international terminal) is on hold as the application awaits approval from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).

As the tenure of State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) committee expired in March, the airport operator Adani Airport Holdings Ltd's application for clearance has now been forwarded to nion Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).

The master plan is being revised to incorporate recommendations from MoEF and the construction will only begin after the nod from the Union Ministry.

"The proceedings will take at least four months to complete. A recent stakeholder meeting, including Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and (Kerala State Industrial Enterprises Ltd) KSIE, gathered all relevant inputs. These, along with MoEF's recommendations, will shape the final master plan. We expect the EC within the next four months so that work can commence afterward," a source close to the project was quoted as saying by ToI.

The terminal expansion is part of a broader infrastructure push.

A proposed five-star hotel on the city side of the airport has also hit a roadblock, with SEIAA earlier directing a revision of its conceptual plan due to environmental concerns, particularly regarding the basement component. This project too remains pending MoEF approval.

Meanwhile, work on the refurbishment of Terminal 1 (domestic terminal) is continuing rapidly.

A new canopy installation is nearly complete, and a modern parking facility is already completed. The T1 upgrades are expected to conclude within two months.

At the Invest Kerala Summit held in February, Adani Group reaffirmed its commitment to the airport’s transformation, announcing a Rs 5,500 crore investment over five years.

The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) had earlier approved Rs 1,200 crore for development, while a larger Rs 3,000 crore master plan is currently under AERA review.

The expansive vision includes redeveloping both terminals, multi-level parking, retail and dining spaces, a five-star hotel, air traffic control infrastructure, and administrative offices, covering 4.52 lakh sq m.

Upon completion by January 2034, the upgraded facility is projected to handle 27 million passengers and 0.42 million tonnes of cargo annually.

Also Read: Coimbatore Metro Land Plan Survey Gains Momentum As 75 Per Cent Work Completed On Sathyamangalam Road