Airports Authority of India’s (AAI) Pune Airport is under construction of a new integrated terminal building with enhanced capacity and world-class facilities. Officials say this new terminal will reduce congestion during peak hours at the airport.
AAI has undertaken the construction of the terminal building at the cost of Rs 475 crore. According to the official release, more than 55 percent of the work has been completed and the construction of the new building is likely to be completed by August 2023.
The existing terminal building with a built-up area of only 22,300 square meters has the capacity to handle passengers upto seven million passengers per annum (MPPA). AAI has undertaken the work for the construction of the state-of-the-art New Terminal with a massive built-up area of more than 5,00,000 square feet.
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The new terminal integrated with the existing terminal will have a built-up area of 7,50,000 square feet with a passenger handling capacity of 16 MPPA. The swanky new integrated terminal building (including the old building) will be centrally air-conditioned with the provision of 10 passenger boarding bridges, 72 Check-in Counters and an In-line Baggage handling system.
The building will be an energy-efficient building with a Four-Star GRIHA rating. Provision of 36000 square feet space for F&B and retail outlets has been reserved for refreshment or pleasure of the passengers. A huge canopy on the city side of the existing building and new building together will give a magnificent look to the airport from the city side. The strongest intention of the project for the new terminal building is the search for unity and continuity between the old and the new.
"Stretching over 360 meters in length, the Verandah is a unifying facade that not only provides protection from sun and rain but also serves as a grand urban fresco telling the story of the rich social, historical, artistic and immaterial culture of Pune and Maharashtra," AAI said in a statement. The facade of the public area below the great Verandah is supported with beautiful Maratha arches and decorated columns with a finish of local dark stone which is commonly seen in most of the heritage structures around Maharashtra.
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The new forecourt garden design is directly inspired by one of the most recognizable landmarks of Pune - The Shaniwar Wada Gardens. "To give a permanent solution to the parking issue, a multilevel car park (Ground plus three-storeyed and two basement floors) with a cost of Rs 120 crore is also under construction and is likely to be commissioned by July 2022," it said.
The multi-level car parking will have a capacity for parking of 1024 cars and will be connected to the departure area of the existing building with a sky bridge with the provision of staircase, escalators and elevators at the building side for dropping or going up.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently highlighted the significance of modern infrastructure and transport facilities for Pune city, which has reinforced its identity in the fields of Education, Research and Development, IT and Automobiles. The revamped terminal building of Pune airport will be an addition to his vision of infrastructure-led growth under PM-Gatishakti National Master Plan.
(With inputs from ANI)
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