CIAL continues to fly high.

From a 15-lakh sq. ft terminal to an integrated airport management system and eight small hydroelectric power stations, the year 2014 marked a crucial phase in the expansion of the Cochin International Airport Limited in Nedumbassery.

The first major project taken up by the airport company was the construction of a Rs. 950-crore terminal for international passengers. Civil works on the project, which was launched in February this year, will be completed by June 2015 and it is slated for a formal opening in December next year.

'About 60 per cent of the civil work has been completed while project-crashing was done at different phases of its construction so as to complete the works on a war footing.

'Alongside, we have also began preparatory works on the apron and parking bays to come up at the air-side, besides the approach road,' officials said.

Upon completion, the new terminal will have a peak-hour capacity of 4,000 passengers and can facilitate handling of 13-15 aircraft.

As part of its stated objective to become power neutral by 2016, the airport company has also taken up the construction of eight small hydroelectric power stations with a total capacity of 43.8 megawatt through its subsidiary CIAL Infrastructure Limited.

Having obtained the nod from the company shareholders and from the State government, it has kick-started the land survey and acquisition process and is scheduled to start the first project by December 2015.

The infrastructure subsidiary has already launched a one-megawatt solar power project on the airport premises.

The long-delayed Air Kerala project witnessed a revival towards the year-end with the CIAL director board deciding to commence the operations with a 15-seater aircraft. 'The service, connecting the three airports in the State as well those in the neighbourhoods is expected to commence within seven months from now and we are in the final stages of negotiations for leasing in the aircraft,' said a top airport official.


THE HINDU