Modi to inaugurate integrated terminal building at Port Blair airport on Tuesday

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the integrated terminal building of the Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair on Tuesday via video conferencing.

Noting that boosting connectivity infrastructure has been a major focus of the government, the Prime Minister's Office said the new facility, built at a cost of around Rs 710 crore, will play a key role in enhancing connectivity to the island, a union territory.

With a total built-up area of around 40,800 sqm, the building will be capable of handling about 50 lakh passengers annually.

An apron suitable for two Boeing-767-400 and two Airbus-321 type aircraft has also been constructed at the airport at a cost of Rs 80 crore, making it suitable for parking 10 aircraft at a time, the PMO said.

The architectural design of the airport terminal resembles a shell-shaped structure, depicting the sea and islands.

The new airport terminal building has a number of sustainability features like a double-insulated roofing system to reduce heat gain, skylights to provide maximum inlet of sunlight during the day to reduce artificial light usage inside the building, LED lighting, and low heat gain glazing, it added.

Rainwater catchment in an underground water tank, an on-site sewage treatment plant with 100 per cent of treated wastewater reused for landscaping and a 500 KW capacity solar power plant are some other features of the terminal building to ensure a minimal negative impact on the islands' environment.

As a gateway to the pristine Andaman and Nicobar islands, Port Blair is a popular destination for tourists.

The spacious new integrated terminal building will boost air traffic and help enhance tourism in the region, the PMO said, adding it will also help create enhanced employment opportunities for the local community and give a fillip to the economy of the region.