The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will soon float a tender for the construction of a boundary wall around the extended portion of land acquired for the runway expansion at Tiruchi international airport.

The boundary wall is planned to be constructed for a length of around nine km to safeguard the extended portion of land acquired for the runway expansion, Airport Director, Tiruchi, S. Gnaneswara Rao told reporters at the old terminal building here on Tuesday.

The construction of the boundary wall is expected to commence in January once the tender formalities are completed. The markings for the extended portion had been done and the completion of the boundary wall construction would take more than six months, Mr. Gnaneswara Rao said.

Stating that the runway expansion plan would take time, Mr. Gnaneswara Rao said the Airports Authority of India had already received a little over 500 acres of land from the State government for the proposed expansion.

About 35 to 40 acres of land belonging to the State government were yet to be received which included some water bodies. The Airports Authority of India had received nearly 90% of land for the runway expansion, he said.

There was a canal in the extended portion, which runs across the runway for which the Airports Authority of India would seek a NOC (No Objection Certificate) from the Water Resources department. The National Institute of Technology, Tiruchi, has done soil testing in the canal area, and once the report was received, the AAI would apply for a NOC, Mr. Gnaneswara Rao said.

Replying to a query, Mr. Gnaneswara Rao said the Tiruchi airport authorities had requested Air India Express to operate flights to more Gulf countries. The AAI was planning to construct one more floor atop the multi-storeyed Air Traffic Control Tower - cum - Technical Block, which was under construction at the airport.

YATRI SEWA DIWAS

Mr. Gnaneswara Rao said a host of activities had been planned for the observance of Yatri Sewa Diwas at the airport on September 17. The activities would commence right from the time of the arrival of the first flight on Wednesday. Passengers would be accorded a traditional welcome at the airport.

Tree plantation drive, folk dance at the arrival hall during peak hour, blood donation camp, free health check-up kiosks outside the terminal building for passengers, staff, visitors and autorickshaw and taxi drivers and familiarisation as well as discussion by inviting students on career opportunities in aviation would also form part of the Yatri Sewa Diwas.

Feedback would be obtained from passengers regarding the facilities available at the airport and their suggestions for new ones, Mr. Gnaneswara Rao said.

AAI to float tender for boundary wall construction for Tiruchi airport runway expansion