Ahmedabad airport: Eatery for all outside domestic terminal soon

Very soon, you would be able to drive to the airport just to grab a bite. A restaurant or an eatery outlet is going to come up outside the domestic terminal which will be open for all, not just passengers. The authorities of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport are mulling converting the city airport into an aerotropolis. An aerotropolis is a metropolitan sub-region where the layout, infrastructure and economy are centered on an airport, like a city commercial centre.

The team of airport officials is currently studying the area so that the parking lot is not affected by having a food joint at the location. The city airport is undergoing a massive transformation with new lavatories, food joints and business lounges coming up. With increasing traffic, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has also recently granted approval for yet another terminal, work for which is slated to begin soon.

Sharing more details on the same, Manoj Gangal, Airport Director, said, "Now, we have three new food joints at the domestic terminal and other eating joints at the international one. At the domestic terminal, we now have Naashto, Bakers Street and KFC. While Naashto and Bakers Street have begun operations, KFC will begin its operation from the first week of October. We are now aiming at having a food joint for the general public which will come up outside the domestic terminal."

He added, "The Local Commercial Advisory Committee (LCAC) of the AAI is currently studying the area so that it does not eat into the space for parking and other amenities. Once the study is completed and a report is made, tenders will be issued."

Kruti Shah, a frequent flyer who shuttles between Bengaluru and Ahmedabad often, says, "Travelling from Bengaluru always made me hate the Ahmedabad airport. I usually take early morning flights and in the absence of good food joints, I had to restrict myself to having a samosa early morning. I am glad there will now be some food joints at least. However, I do not know how much the outside food joint will matter. Whom will it cater to? Why would people enjoy eating food near the airport?"

A source from the AAI said, "Many airports in the country are under the aerotropolis project. Since they are multimodal and multifunctional enterprises, they generate considerable commercial development within and beyond their boundaries. An aerotropolis would include restaurants, shopping malls and business parks, among other facilities."

ABOUT THE PROJECT

• SVP International airport authorities are mulling over converting the Ahmedabad airport into an aerotropolis 
   
• An aerotropolis is a metropolitan sub-region where various units are centred on an airport
   
• A team of officials is currently studying the area so that the parking is not affected by food joints