Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu advised the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to complete the construction of new terminal building by August 2016 to meet the rush of passengers during Krishna Pushkaram to be held next year. He made this suggestion after laying foundation stone for the terminal at Gannavaram airport last month.

But the AAI seems to be missing the deadline set by Mr. Naidu as works are likely to begin in December second week after necessary clearances come from the headquarters in New Delhi on the design of terminal building, said sources.

Contract has already been awarded for the Rs.137 crore project and design of the building was submitted to senior officials in New Delhi for approval.

“Once we get clearance from the headquarters, we will commence works from second week of December,” said a senior official. The new facility is coming up in 9,700 square metres land. “It is difficult to complete the work by August 2016 to meet the rush during Krishna Pushkaram due to various technical reasons,” an official said adding that the construction would be completed by December 2016.

According to officials, the occupancy ratio was 10.5 per cent between 2013-14 and 2014-15 but it has gone up to 103 per cent between April and September this year. They said the new building will have state-of-the-art passenger amenities such as baggage handling system, inclined arrival baggage claim carousels, check-in counters with common use terminal equipment and sufficient car parking area.

It is difficult to complete the work by August 2016 to meet the rush during Krishna Pushkaram due to various technical reasons