Rain forces AAI to speed up new terminal work in Ahmedabad

The international terminal at the Sardar Patel International Airport will resume functioning from Tuesday. After resembling a dockyard following heavy rains on Sunday, the authorities got into action to ensure that the terminal begins functioning as usual on Tuesday.

It should be noted that the terminal was closed on Sunday after it got flooded and the international operation was carried out from the domestic terminal. A meeting held by the airport officials to discuss the same was attended by authorities of Airport Authority of India, Central Reserve Police Force (CISF) and Customs Officials.

The meeting also discussed the ongoing work on the new terminal. The authorities are keen to make it operational as soon as possible.

The new terminal was inaugurated last month by aviation minister Praful Patel.

"The AAI wants the terminal to begin functioning from August 15. The heavy rainfall led to closure of the existing international terminal on Sunday. The officials want the work on the new terminal finished soon so as to avoid further ruckus at the airport," said an airport source.

The source said that apart from cancellation of Dubai-bound Emirates Airlines on Sunday morning, no further delays and cancellation took place.  All flights were on schedule, the source said.

"The international terminal will resume functioning from Tuesday night. The water inside the terminal was pumped out on Monday," said another source. The source said so massive was the mess that many people had to be pressed into service to clean it up.
The power supply has also been restored, the source said.

"The problem of watelogging, however, will not be solved since the building falls in a low area. Even the drainage system is not up to the mark," the source said.