Kolkata Airport to get a makeover

The Kolkata Airport will get a makeover with the Airport Authority of India pumping in Rs 120 crore for upgradation of existing facilities and addition of new. ones.

Work is already underway for extension and resurfacing of the secondary runway, addition of bays and installation of aerobridges at the domestic terminal.

The secondary runway is currently being extended by 440 metres from the existing 2,399 metres to enable landing and take-off by bigger planes.

The surface of both runways were being strengthened with bitumen at present, V S Monga, director, Kolkata Airport, said.

Two remote bays are being built for parking of aeroplanes. Currently there are four remote and six in-contact bays at the domestic terminal. For night-time parking, seven bays from the international parking quota would also be provided, he said.

Three new aerobridges would be added to the existing three to bring the total number up to six. A canopy spread over 2,650 square metres would also be erected outside the building covering a four-lane driveway for cars.

In anticipation of two new carriers that are to begin operations in Kolkata by the end of this year, 12 new counters would be added to the existing 33. A software called Common Utility of Terminal Equipment (CUTE) would be installed at departure counters, enabling passengers of any airline to check in from any counter.

A new conveyor belt, which has been installed at the departure zone, is expected to become functional within the next couple of months. Existing conveyor belts in this zone are two in number. All of them were to be fitted with X-ray machines, Monga said.

The arrival area would also get an additional conveyor belt to take the total count to four. The hold areas would also be increased at two levels in an attempt to achieve a 50 per cent enhancement in security check. In all, five hold areas would be in place now. Additional escalators would also be put in place to assist passangers in using the first-floor security hold and reduce congestion on the first floor.

An Air-conditioned cargo complex for perishable goods was being built on a 600 square metre plot on the airport property adjacent to the Jessore road area, said Monga. Another integrated cargo-handling facility for international cargo is also being built on an adjacent plot with a holding capacity of 40,000 metric tonnes of cargo.

Work on most projects is already in progress and are expected to be completed by the end of this year. The extension work on the runway, however, was expected to be complete by March next year, Monga said.