A source said that it may take seven to eight years to build the T5 terminal and the elevated corridor that will come up as part of the project.
| Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ
Airports Authority of India (AAI) will soon start chalking out plans to build the T5 Terminal at Chennai airport and the elevated corridor to provide access to passengers.
A review meeting was held recently between the Tamil Nadu government and the AAI last week to discuss the construction of the T5 Terminal and the corridor, and ways to enhance capacity of the airport.
As the State government has scrapped the Parandur airport project and wanted to pursue the expansion of the existing airport before a new site is identified for the second airport in city, this review meeting was held, sources said.
This is the second review meeting being held between the State government and the AAI to discuss the means to improve the airport and the expansion plans.
The T5 Terminal will be situated in the airside of the airport and hence to create an entry for passengers from the city side, an elevated corridor has been proposed from NH 32 (near Madha Engineering College). This is likely to be a six-lane corridor.
At present, only a skeletal framework for the T5 Terminal and the access road is ready and a detailed plan needs to be drafted.
“We are discussing the area which has to be earmarked for the terminal and how to establish the access for the terminal. This is in a nascent stage now. Full-fledged planning will begin shortly,” an official said.
There were discussions about the number of aircraft movements handled per hour and why it has not increased.
AAI was asked to take a relook at how much the capacity — in terms of aircraft movement and passenger traffic — can increase if the expansion work is carried out. “It may take nearly 7-8 years to finish the planning and build this terminal and elevated corridor. The State may as well place its focus on the second airport instead of this expansion,” another source said.
Airlines too have pushed the government to decrease the value added tax (VAT) in the Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). The State government, on the other hand, has asked the airlines to bring in more connectivity from Chennai airport. But it is to be noted that adding connectivity from an airport gets decided between an airline and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Published – September 24, 2026 05:00 am IST
