In a major attempt to ease passenger congestion, the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBIA) in Kolkata is poised to get a massive expansion. Among other structural changes, the terminal is slated to be expanded by 4,000 square meters. It is hoped that this massive facelift will aid in optimizing operational efficiency, passenger convenience, and the total capacity of this incredibly busy airport. Officials have also confirmed that increased passenger seating is also among the aims of this expansion.
Kolkata Airport To Get 4,000-Sq-M Expansion
Once the expansion and other infrastructure enhancements are completed, the total handling capacity of the airport will increase from 26 million passengers per annum (MPPA) to 28 million passengers per annum.
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As per the airport officials, an additional 966 meters of area at the departure level of the current building has already been commissioned. The international departure section in the terminal, too, has received an expansion of approximately 3,000 sq. m., enabling impactful rerouting of international passenger traffic.
This, in turn, will facilitate the rezoning of Immigration, Customs, and Pre-Embarkation Security Check (PESC) services.
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Recent Daily Traffic Numbers Handled At Airport
If reports are to go by, the airport has handled a significantly high number of passengers over the last few days. On June 1, the airport recorded 152 domestic arrivals and departures each (around 26,000+ passengers respectively) and 22 international arrivals and departures each (around 3,000+ passengers respectively).
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On the following day, it saw 145 domestic departures and 149 arrivals (around 22,000+ passengers), and the same amount of international arrivals and departures as the previous day. On June 3, domestic arrivals and departures totalled 145 and 155 flights (around 25,000+ passengers).
International flights recorded 20 arrivals and 22 departures (around 3,000+ passengers). This means that the recent daily traffic averages have been well over 50,000 passengers.
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Summing Up
Once the expansion is complete, traveling from the Kolkata Airport will become significantly more convenient for airport officials and passengers alike. The impact of this will be all the more visible in the coming days of the peak travel season, making the expansion a well-timed initiative.
