Surat: Construction activities for a new airport terminal project in Surat is likely to begin by the end of this year. In the meantime, on the occasion of auspicious day of Labh Pancham, the airport authority has started the work for ancillary building, chiller house, pump house and other developments.

Surat airport at present witnesses operation of 46 flights and present terminal building is running out of capacity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid foundation stone for the extension of terminal building at Surat airport worth Rs 350 crore in January this year. The tender for terminal building extension was floated in December 2018, but the work order was delayed due to model code of conduct in view of Lok Sabha elections.

The project is delayed by 5 months at present. If the project starts in November 2019 as per new schedule, it is likely to complete by January 2021. The works are likely to start by the end of this year as environment clearance is still awaited. In the meantime, some works are kicked off.

The terminal building of Surat airport is being extended by AAI at a cost of Rs354 crore. The existing terminal building has an area of 8,474 square metre and it will be extended by additional 17,046 square metre (excluding city side and air side kerb) to have a total area of 25, 520 square metre. After the extension, the terminal building will be capable to handle 1,800 passengers (1,200 domestic + 600 international) during peak hours. Consequently, Surat airport will be able to handle 2.6 million passengers annually.
The extended terminal building will be equipped with all essential amenities like check-in-counters, baggage conveyors and parking space to accommodate more than 500 cars. The other planned infrastructure development at Surat airport includes construction of cargo terminal building and extension of apron for additional 10 number of bays for Code C aircraft and full length parallel taxi-track.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) had issued work order for construction of extended terminal building worth Rs350 crore in May this year.