Keeping in mind the blistering heat that will grip the State in a few weeks time, Swami Vivekanand Airport is getting aerobridges for its passengers next month.
A Malaysia-based company will supply four aerobridges worth Rs 2 crore each to the airport authorities spread over March and April. Aerobridges will connect the airplanes directly to the terminal building shielding the passengers from sun and rain.
The facility will also be hassle-free for elderly passengers as they no longer will have to climb down from the stairs. Aerobridges are a common feature in airports in metro cities and the feature will soon be added at the Raipur airport that recently received National Tourism Award 2013 for best Airport in non-metro category.
“We are getting four aerobridges for the airport each piece worth around Rs 2 crore. This is to save our passengers’ time and also defend them against harsh sun or a downpour,” said Airport Director AK Rai. Two aerobridges are expected to reach the airport in March while the remaining two will arrive in the city in the month of April. An aerobridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without going outside. Up till now, the passengers at the Raipur airport alight from the aircraft on mobile staircases also know as ramp stairs.
Technicians from abroad will join the in-house technicians in assembling of the aerobridge that will be brought in parts. These bridges provide all-weather dry access to aircraft and enhance the security of terminal operations. They are often permanently attached at one end to the terminal building and have the ability to swing left or right. A transparent system of inviting tenders was followed after which contract was given to a Malaysia-based company, said Rai. Apart from aerobridges, free secured wi-fi access, a food court, bar and a hi-tech Common shared in-building solutions (CSIBS) are also in the pipeline. The airport is also spending around Rs 100 crore on expansion of its runway to accommodate large aircraft. Presently, the runway at the airport is 2.28 km-long. After the expansion work is complete, it will stretch to 3.25 km.
All these upcoming facilities indicate that Swami Vivekanand Airport is embracing itself to cater huge number of passengers. As of now, daily average passenger traffic at Swami Vivekananda Airport is 1,200 passengers . The numbers rises to 1,600 on peak days. Excluding emergency landings that happen rarely, 13 scheduled flights come to airport on a daily basis.