Chennai: Delay in opening the new terminals at Chennai airport is costing the Airports Authority of India (AAI) dear.
The AAI is paying the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board 80 lakh a month despite the terminals not being used. Power for the new buildings comes from a 110 kv substation on the premises, an unprecedented facility in a public sector airport.
The opening is likely to be delayed further and the AAI is using power frugally. But, it is trying to keep the facilities in good shape till the terminals are opened. "We run lifts, escalators, conveyors and other systems to keep them ready. If the machines are not run once in a while, we may have to replace them without putting them to use. Lights are switched on at night to see if everything is in order and also to showcase the work gone into constructing a modern building," said a senior official.
Short-sighted policies and lack of coordination among different ministries delayed opening of the terminals though a majority of the works were completed more than six months ago, said a source.
30/10/12 V Ayyappan/Times of India
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The AAI is paying the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board 80 lakh a month despite the terminals not being used. Power for the new buildings comes from a 110 kv substation on the premises, an unprecedented facility in a public sector airport.
The opening is likely to be delayed further and the AAI is using power frugally. But, it is trying to keep the facilities in good shape till the terminals are opened. "We run lifts, escalators, conveyors and other systems to keep them ready. If the machines are not run once in a while, we may have to replace them without putting them to use. Lights are switched on at night to see if everything is in order and also to showcase the work gone into constructing a modern building," said a senior official.
Short-sighted policies and lack of coordination among different ministries delayed opening of the terminals though a majority of the works were completed more than six months ago, said a source.
30/10/12 V Ayyappan/Times of India
