Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to inaugurate the new terminal at CIAL
The new international terminal is getting commissioned at the Cochin International Airport. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will inaugurate the new terminal T-3 on Friday, February 26, 2016. The terminal with 15 lakh sq.ft. is adding a new chapter in the glorious track record of CIAL, world’s first ever airport to be fully powered by solar energy. The inaugural session is being held at the Departure Lounge of the new terminal. Public will be given access to the area for inaugural ceremony.
Once the new international terminal becomes fully operational commercially, the present international terminal will be converted to domestic terminal, thus increasing the area of domestic terminal from one lakh square feet at present to five lakh square feet. K. Babu, Minister for Excise, Fisheries and Ports, will preside over the function. M.A. Youssuf Ali, Director, CIAL, will deliver the welcome address. V.J. Kurian, Managing Director, CIAL, will deliver the introductory address and P.K. Kunhalikutty, Minister for Industries, will deliver the keynote address. V.K. Ebrahim Kunju and Anoop Jacob, Ministers; K.V. Thomas and Innocent, MPs; K.M. Mani, Jose Thettayil and Anwar Sadath, MLAs; M.A. Gracy, chairperson, Angamali Municipality; Mini Eldo, president, Nedumbassery panchayat; Alphonsa Varghese, president, Sreemoolanagaram panchayat; M.P. Lonappan, president, Kanjoor panchayat; K. Roy Paul, Ramani A.K., C.V. Jacob, N.V. George, E.M. Babu, CIAL Directors; A.C.K. Nair, Airport Director; and A.M. Shabeer, Executive Director, will be present.
The foundation stone for the new terminal was laid by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy February 1, 2014. The gigantic terminal with 15 lakh sq.ft. was completed in just 24 months. At present, CIAL is ranked in fourth position for international passengers and seventh for total passengers. With the commissioning of the new terminal, CIAL will be asserting its prominent position in the country’s civil aviation scene. CIAL has been focusing on the second stage of developments recently, which is a continuing process, Mr. Kurian said.
