Longer runway to boost Tiruchy international airport’s potential

TIRUCHY: The long wait for the realisation of a 12,500-foot-long runway to facilitate operation of wide-bodied aircraft would soon end as the land acquisition is almost over and works would commence in the Tiruchy International Airport. This expansion will augment the number of flight services and double the passenger flow anticipating that the high potential of passenger flow will steadily increase as people from 9 Delta and neighbouring districts have started work-related migration in recent times to destinations abroad, particularly Southeast Asian countries.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) commenced the runway expansion works in 2010 to facilitate the operation of wide-bodied aircraft but the plan was delayed due to various reasons including the delay in the land acquisition process to ensure 12,500-foot long runway as the existing 8,100-foot runway could support only the narrow-bodied aircraft.

In every Airport Advisory Committee meeting, the land acquisition topic was discussed as the lengthier runway is essential for the growth of the airport despite having a new terminal with augmented facilities.

Meanwhile, a couple of days ago, the Tiruchy district administration submitted a report on the land acquisition for the runway. The district administration has acquired 455 acres of land out of the actual requirement of 497 acres.

“More than 90 per cent land acquisition over the remaining 10 per cent land is not necessary for the expansion of runway but for other works and so we have given a green signal to go ahead with establishing an expanded runway,” revenue officials said.

If the runway expansion is materialised, wide-bodied aircraft will commence their operations.

“Already Air Asia, Malindo, Sri Lankan Airlines and Scoot possess wide-bodied aircraft and this would double the capacity in terms of passenger and cargo handling,” said H Ubaidullah, the aviation analyst.

He also said that when the wide-bodied aircraft commence operation, the passenger flow would be doubled while there will be triple fold tonnage of cargo handling that would certainly fetch income to the airport and employment opportunities.

FACT FILE

-- 497 acres: Total land needed for runway expansion

-- 455 acres: Land acquired so far

-- 42 acres: Remaining land to be acquired

-- 8,136 feet: Present runway length of Tiruchy airport

-- 12,500 feet: Future size of the runway after expansion

Operators with wide-bodied aircraft waiting: Air Asia, Malindo, Sri Lankan Airlines and Scoot.

Benefits for Tiruchy airport after expansion: Passenger flow to be doubled; Cargo handling to increase triple fold; Increased employment opportunity; Rise in revenue to the airport.

Boon for exporters if expansion completed

Tiruchy: Since wide-bodied aircraft pave the way for doubling cargo handling, the operators are closely watching the runway expansion with hope. Only a longer runway will support the wide-bodied aircraft operations and in turn, boost the potential of exporters.

Since traditional snack items like Nellai Iruttukadai Halwa, Manapparai Murukku, and other spicy eatables are in high demand in countries with Tamil diaspora, the cargo handling that would result from the runway expansion would be a boon to the exporters.

According to exporters, perishables commodities like vegetables, fruits, and flowers have constituted 85 per cent of the total volume of cargo being handled in Tiruchy International Airport to destinations like Kuwait, Singapore, Dubai, Male, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo are Tiruchy's main destinations. The remaining 15 per cent of exports are nonperishable ones.

Though Tiruchy cargo terminal handles a high volume of perishable products, it has also started to witness an increasing volume of nonperishable products like garments, dairy and marine products, spices, foodstuff and pharma products.

“Once cargo handling capacity increases due to wide-bodied aircraft operation after runway expansion, the allied industries like logistic and parcel booking would also increase and the volume restriction for exports would be withdrawn which would pave the way for more exports and more money and this would help to initiate more dedicated freight services,” said SA Sayeed, president, Express Courier Operators Association.