Demolition of old domestic terminal only after Haj

Kolkata: The dismantling of Kolkata airport's former domestic terminal, inactive since 2013 following the launch of the new integrated terminal, will commence after Haj flights conclude this July. The demolition, including the air traffic surveillance building, is essential for the airport's future expansion plans.The passenger terminal was used for multiple purposes since it was decommissioned over a decade ago. During the pandemic, a section of the terminal was converted into a quarantine centre. An RT-PCR testing facility operated out of the building in 2020-22 when the tests became mandatory for international travellers flying into Kolkata. The terminal was also used to conduct Haj flights during the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.The contract for auctioning the material retrieved from the demolished building was handed over to public sector undertaking MSTC Ltd. The demolition is expected to be completed by the end of this year or early next year. A new U-shaped passenger terminal, initially proposed to be used exclusively for international flights, will be constructed in place of the old terminal.A wall has already been constructed to segregate the old domestic airport terminal from the apron area, facilitating the demolition of the building. A gap has been left before the exit to facilitate Haj pilgrims accessing the Saudi Arabia Airlines flight used to ferry them to Mecca."The segregation wall is important both for the safety and security of airlines and airport ground staff, as well as aircraft and other equipment deployed in the apron area," an airport official said.While construction sites are usually cordoned off with corrugated metal sheets, a brick and mortar wall with a concrete plinth and columns is being built to prevent any breach of security during the construction of the new terminal when several hundred workers will be engaged by the contractor.The old domestic terminal, built in 1995, had a capacity of 50 lakh passengers per annum. Its built-up area is 2.4 lakh sq ft. The current terminal has a capacity of 2.6 crore passengers per annum with a built-up area of 24 lakh sq ft. The capacity is being increased to 2.8 crore through a modular expansion that will lead to the addition of 71,000 sq ft. This project will be completed by the end of this year.