Karnataka - Mangalore   

Airport departure lounge expansion work begins

— Photo: R. Eswarraj

To sport a new look: A view of the existing departure hall at Bajpe Airport in Mangalore.

MANGALORE: To cope with the pressure of increasing passenger traffic at Bajpe airport here, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has taken up the expansion of its departure hall. This has come just three months after the AAI opened its air-conditioned arrival hall for passengers.

The work on expanding the departure hall at an estimated cost of Rs. 15 lakh started on Friday. It will be completed in 50 days, M.R. Vasudeva, director of the airport, told The Hindu. He said the ground outside the departure hall, at the entrance side, would be raised by 1.5 metres and two metres, by using metal, to align it with the floor-level. The front side of the hall would be covered with glass. The ticket-counters of different operators would be pushed up further towards the entrance. The X-ray baggage machine would be moved towards the entrance to create more space inside the departure hall, Mr. Vasudeva said. At present, the hall measures 1,900 sq.ft. for which 4,000 sq.ft. will be added. With this, the airport can handle 250 passengers at a time comfortably as against 120 passengers being handled now. According to Mr. Vasudeva, approximately 1,700 passengers travel through the airport, daily. As more flights are being added, the passenger traffic is on the rise.

The arrival hall opened in June last, measuring 14,000 sq.ft., was built at a cost of Rs. 3.5 crore. It can handle over 250 passengers at a time.

Passenger movement at the airport has been increasing for the past five years. The airport handled 2.01 lakh passengers in 2002 (from January to December); 2.03 lakh in 2003; 2.63 lakh in 2004; 2.76 lakh in 2005, and 4.52 lakh in 2006. The passenger turnout during the first half of current year was over three lakh and it is likely to exceed six lakh by December. This number may touch 7.26 lakh by December, 2008. Mr. Vasudeva said the airport had handled 4,528 aircraft movements in 2006. The number, including landing and take off, is likely to touch 6,669 by December 2007 and 8,668 by the end of next year.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Airport departure lounge expansion work begins
NH 17 repair to be completed by December, says official
Couple engaged in ideal farming to be feted today

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu