TIRUCHY: A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Thanjavur domestic airport project with an estimation of Rs 100 crore has been sent to the Civil Aviation ministry for approval for the administrative sanctions and fund allocation, said the Tiruchy International Airport Director SS Raju here on Saturday. The Tamil Nadu government had already handed over 55 acres of land for the project.
Speaking to reporters in Tiruchy, the Airport Director Raju noted that developing a domestic airport for the three-tier cities like Thanjavur under the UDAN scheme is an advanced proposal. The new airport developed at the Thanjavur Air Force Station would have bays for three ATR flights, he noted.
“As a part of the initial works, a DPR to the tune of Rs 100 crore has been sent to the civil aviation ministry for the construction of an administration building and other basic facilities which would cater to the service of the domestic flyers from the Delta region," Raju said.
He added that 70 per cent of the construction work of the 53-m high Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower at an estimated cost of Rs 60 crore in Tiruchy International Airport had been completed so far. The land acquisition for the runway expansion from 8,000 feet to 12,500 feet has been almost completed with an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore.
“Once the runway expansion gets completed, the airport's cargo facilities would be enhanced with the accommodation of wide-body aircraft," he said.
He also noted that the peak hour passenger handling capacity has been increased from 652 to 3,480 after the construction of the new terminal building, which has a parking capacity of 990 cars from 450 cars.