Kolkata Airport’s Second Terminal to Feature 21 Aerobridges for Efficient Boarding, BA

The proposed second passenger terminal (T2) — to be built at a cost of INR 4,200 crore — at the Kolkata airport will have three more aerobridges than the existing terminal (T1). T2 will have 21 aerobridges against 18 aerobridges in T1. The aerobridges will enable more passengers to directly board the aircraft from the terminal rather than taking bus rides to remote bays and then board flights.

The U-shaped second terminal would be spatially more efficient than the current terminal, said Kolkata airport director, Pravat Ranjan Beuria. However, the floor space in the proposed terminal will be a third less than the existing one. “The floor space of T2 at 13 lakh sq ft will be significantly less than T1 that is spread across 20 lakh sq ft,” Beuria said.

While the bottom of the U will house the entrances to T2, the check-in area, security check, and retail and food and beverage (F&B) outlets in the departure level and baggage belts and exits on the ground level, the twin arms of the U will extend into the airport’s apron area and have boarding gates and F&B outlets.

According to the preliminary design approved by Airports Authority of India (AAI), the right arm will have seven boarding gates to the left facing north. The left arm that will be constructed in the second phase will have seven boarding gates to the left facing north and an equal number of gates to the right facing south.

“While the existing terminal can handle 8,460 passengers per hour, the new terminal will be able to handle 4,800 passengers per hour,” said Beuria.

Work on the boundary wall around the old domestic terminal is set to begin. It is expected to be completed by Oct-Nov, after which demolition of the old terminal will commence, either this year-end or early next year. Construction of the new terminal will begin by the end of 2025 or early 2026 with a 48-month deadline.

Demolition of the air traffic navigation building that houses the air traffic control tower as well as the area control can start only sometime late next year when the facility shifts to the new ATC tower and technical block.

Procurement of navigation and surveillance equipment has started and the supplies are expected to arrive by Nov. Thereafter, installation will happen and phased relocation is expected to begin sometime in March, 2025.

Thereafter, the old as well as new complex will operate parallelly before the old complex is shut around Oct, next year.