AAI not likely to open new terminal by Sept.

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With Airports Authority of India (AAI) waiting for security clearance from the civil aviation ministry to open new terminals in the city airport, sources said the new buildings might not be opened until September this year.

While authorities claimed a successful trial run of arrival operations at the new domestic terminal on April 30, the date for testing of departure operations is yet to be fixed.

“Passengers were able to walk out of the airport during arrival trial run, but for departure testing, the entire security procedure has to be applied. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) needs to approve the process,” said a senior AAI official.

“After BCAS clears the new building, the DGCA will approve it and then it will go to the ministry for final clearance. So, it will take a minimum two months for all formalities to be completed,” the official added.

With the airlines demanding at least the presence of aerobridges in the new terminal, the opening would further be delayed, as it will minimum take a month to install and configure the passenger walkway from the aircraft to terminal.

“We have already placed orders for seven aerobridges and they are expected to reach the city by July,” said another AAI official. Further, the slow movement of tender process at the AAI head quarters level is also affecting the commissioning of the new terminal buildings.

“Unlike earlier instances, this time, the AAI is working on a master concessionaire concept. We have identified four sectors namely retail, food and beverages, duty free and advertising,” said a senior AAI commercial department official.

The official said the AAI headquarters in Delhi is finalising the tender procedure and it will be released by next week. “From the date of signing agreement, the concessionaires will take 45 days to 120 days to settle down,” the official added.