Green Assessment nod for development of of Vijayawada, Chennai and Guwahati airports

An expert Panel from the Union environment ministry has cleared Terms of Reference(TOR) for development of three airport viz., Chennai, Vijayawada, Guwahati. The Terms of Reference were recommended by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s (MoEFCC) Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for infrastructure projects on 21-22 September. It is mandatory to get TOR to be cleared for the projects for which environment ministry grants or rejects the license. In Vijayawada, there is a proposal for the extension of the existing runway. For doing the same, Airport Authority of India(AAI) needs to acquire land. Vijaywada airport is spread in around 531.65 acres and for the proposed project, an estimated area of 148 acres needs to be acquired. The cost estimate for this project is Rs.144.93crores. EAC sought a hydraulic modelling study for rerouting of Eluru canal which passes through the proposed airport extension site. It has also advised AAI to include compliance of land acquisition laws and examine how much degradable land can be rejuvenated as per legal and social compliances. In Chennai, the development projects aimed to modernise existing domestic and international terminals, interfacing provision in the new terminal for future connection of tunnel from satellite terminal, development of multi-level car parking system and an integrated common user cargo complex. In Guwahati, AAI proposed to develop new integrated terminal building to cater future traffic needs.