New Surat airport triples capacity: AAI Chief

The overall capacity of Surat Airport will increase three times once its newly built terminal building is operational, said Sanjeev Kumar, Chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

The AAI Chairman stated this ahead of the new terminal‘s inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

PM Modi will be on a day-long visit to Surat on Sunday. Besides inaugurating the new Surat airport terminal, he will also dedicate to the people the Surat Diamond Bourse – world’s largest and modern centre for international diamond and jewellery business.

“The capacity of Surat airport will increase three times once this new terminal becomes operational. Prime Minister Modi ji has given this airport the status of an international airport, and the Union cabinet has approved it. Surat is one of the biggest business hubs globally, and this new terminal will connect people across the globe…Also, in the process, the Surat city will get further facelift,” AAI chairman Sanjeev Kumar said while speaking to ANI.

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week approved the proposal to declare Surat Airport as an international airport. Surat airport will not only become a gateway for international travellers but also facilitate seamless export-import operations for the thriving diamond and textile – industries.

The Surat Airport expansion has been undertaken at a cost of Rs 353 crore.

Surat is currently connected to 14 domestic cities — Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Goa, Goa Mopa, Belgaum, Pune, Jaipur, Udaipur, Indore, Diu and Kishangarh and internationally via Sharjah to the rest of the world. It is handling more than 252 passenger flight movements per week.

Asked what the reason behind the airport’s expansion was, the AAI chairman said, “The new airport terminal has been built keeping in mind the passengers’ needs, ample space, enough parking, multiple entry gates to the facility, and more number of check-in gates.”

Surat, a rapidly growing city in India, has demonstrated remarkable economic prowess and industrial development over the decades. With a surge in passenger traffic and cargo operations, the airport’s international designation, according to the government, will provide a crucial impetus for regional development.

Surat is synonymous with its thriving and young booming textile industry. Also, as 90 per cent of the world’s diamonds supply are cut and polished here, it is also called the “Diamond City”.

Surat being the ‘Diamond capital of the world’ is also recognized for the presence of a huge number of Textiles Industries and Educational Institutions & Research, Law Colleges, SVNIT, Surat and religious places like Swami Narayan temple, Tombs of the Bohras, and Udvada, etc.

As per officials, the Surat airport has a runway of 2906 X 45 metre capable to operate Code ‘C’ type of aircrafts and terminal building of an area of 8474 square metre.

The new terminal building is equipped to handle 1,200 domestic passengers and 600 international passengers during peak hours and has provision for further increasing the peak hour capacity to 3,000 passengers with annual handling capacity increasing to 55 lakh passengers.

The terminal building, as it is the gateway to Surat city, has been designed with its local culture and heritage ensuring that the essence should reflect both in interior and exterior, creating a sense of place for the visitors. Rogan, embroidery works such as Zari and Brocade, beautiful relief works of wooden carvings, and mosaic work depicting the famous Kite festival of Gujarat will be showcased in the airport.

The facade of the upgraded terminal building aims to enrich the passenger experience with the rich and traditional woodwork of the old houses of the ‘Rander’ region of Surat City.

The new airport terminal is equipped with various sustainability features like Double Insulated Roofing System, Canopies for energy saving, Low Heat Gain Double Glazing Unit, Rain Water Harvesting, water treatment plant, Sewage treatment plant and use of recycled water for landscaping and solar power plant, among others.