Chennai: The new international terminal will miss another deadline for inauguration. The civil aviation ministry had fixed the second week of May as the deadline, which now looks impossible to meet. The terminal that remains a huge shell structure has no facilities inside, other than a couple of abandoned counters and a few chairs.
The latest communication from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to airlines says they have no option other than opening the terminal immediately, but airlines have informed AAI that they will not shift until basic passenger amenities are provided.
A senior airport official said they had to open the international terminal "at any cost" before May 14 as there was a mandate from the ministry of civil aviation. "But airlines are not cooperating and they are yet to submit their space requirement to set up counters," he said.
10/05/13 Arun Janardhanan/Times of India
