INTERVIEW AAI gears up for brighter future structure to facilitate the common man in ment of cargo facilities at its airports are: - Airports Authority of (AAI) is India. has plans for the mainstay organisation of the development of over 100 airports in the Automation in cargo handling: Indian Civil Aviation sector. AAI country connecting tier-II and tier-III cities. AAI has been taking pro-active actions AAI teams are already doing the feasibility in view of the growth of cargo and creating has been working towards building studies for the projects to be taken up over infrastructure ahead of the requirement a brighter future for air cargo and a period of time. Development of civil for smooth and speedy clearance of cargo under the guidance and vision of aviation infrastructure is not only capital in- thereby ensuring usage of air cargo terminal V P AGRAWAL, Chairman, tensive but its gestation period is also quite as a transit facility and not a warehouse. In AAI, it is poised to reach greater long. Therefore, the public participation order to enhance annual handling capacity would be welcome. I once again, reiterate of the existing cargo terminals, vertical space heights. Agrawal speaks to that AAI is committed to development of utilisation is being made use of by installing FARHANA NUMAN about AAI’s civil aviation infrastructure in India to mi- automated storage and retrieval system new plans and projects. nimise the travel distances between every (AS&RS) for import cargo and elevated trans- nook and corner of the country. fer vehicle (ETV) for export cargo.

ou have been awarded the ith the situation looking up, how Augmentation of handling capacity: Y“Excellence in Development of Wis AAI gearing up? What are your The annual handling capacity of Chen- Airport Infrastructure in India” recently specific plans to improve the cargo nai Airport has been increased to 1102373 at Today’s Traveler Awards. How facilities at Indian airports? MTs per annum with the creation of Phase do you feel about it? What are your The air cargo segment of the aviation III of New International Cargo Terminal. As new plans as far as infrastructure is industry is one of the most important links in regards other AAI managed airports, the concerned? the country’s economic growth which is grow- available annual capacity is underutilised. The award establishes that the organisa- ing at a moderate pace. AAI is already in the Keeping in view the slow rate of growth of tion has served the Nation in right spirit. I, process of creating excellent cargo handling cargo, the existing capacities are adequate to as head of such a prestigious organisation, facilities at its airports across the country. cater to the handling requirement till 2020. feel pride and am humbled to serve further AAI has already increased the capacity of the cause of development of Civil Aviation its airports by simplifying the processes and Air cargo community system for single in the country. implementation of EDI, which has eased the window cargo clearance: India, being a vast country, has large paper work and has speed up transactions. AAI has already implemented EDI potential for growth of civil aviation infra- Major plans of AAI in respect of improve- system for clearance of air cargo in export

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and import at Chennai and Kolkata Air- location, AAI proposes to create cargo lease specify projects completed ports. MOCA and Ministry of Commerce & hubs in the country. A committee has been and projects in progress Industries has mandated AAI to install air formed to work out the modalities for ex- POver a period of time, AAI has developed cargo community system for single window peditious establishment of the cargo hub. about 60 airports with new terminal buildings cargo clearance. There has been demand to and modern passenger amenities. Some of the have air cargo community system to link Development of common user domestic recently completed projects are:- all community partners i.e. airlines, banks, cargo terminal: i) Integrated Terminal Building at NSCBI cargo custodians, CHAs and break bulk Since metro airports have conges- Airport, Kolkata. agents etc. tion due to paucity of the area, it is ii) New International& Domestic Terminals required to develop common user and up-gradation of air-side facilities at Development of cargo freight city: domestic cargo terminals. Presently, Chennai Airport. With the globalisation and present trend AAI has provided space to individual iii) New Integrated Term. Building at Rai- of international marketing vis-à-vis boom in airlines to handle their domestic cargo pur Airport. the IT Industry, it is expected that internation- operations. These facilities do not have iv) Construction of New Term. Building at al cargo traffic would increase tremendously airside connectivity and do not meet the Puducherry Airport. in India, especially at metro airports. The security requirement of BCAS guide- v) New Integrated Term. Building at Luc- quantum of cargo increased may not cater to lines. Further, redundant old passenger know Airport. accommodate the tonnage of cargo growing terminal buildings are lying unused. vi) Development of Airport. rapidly in years to come at the scarce airport This infrastructure can be converted into vii) Construction of Term. Building for New land alone. Off Airport facilities like air cargo common user domestic cargo terminals Civil Enclave at Bhatinda Airport. village/air freight stations facilities in the by having minor modifications. In all, 24 viii) Construction of New Term. Building for smooth cargo handling at cargo terminal(s), airports have been identified by AAI for New Civil Enclave at Jaisalmer Airport. which acts as transit facility since the cargo undertaking domestic cargo operations. ix) Construction of New Control Tower and is unutilised/X-rayed and brought under Doppler Radar Building at Agartalla Customs escort for upliftment at the air cargo ow would the ongoing Airport. complex thereby avoiding undue strain at the Hmodernisation work at airports x) Construction of New Term. Building at airport land. Such facilities have witnessed help enhance cargo carrying capacity? Bhuvaneswar Airport. boost to the level of economic activity with the The international cargo, as per sta- Projects in progress: trade as being the focal point. The concept of tistics available with AAI, will grow i) Construction Of New Term. Building at known shipper and regulated agents has been at an average growth rate of 13.7 per Dabolin Airport. successfully managed at cargo village/AFS. It cent till 2019-20. Accordingly, based on ii) Construction of New Term. Building at may be pertinent to mention that air freight these projections, the amount of cargo . station (AFS) and inland container depot being handled at Chennai Airport will iii) Construction of New Term. Building (ICD) have already been operationalised at be 927502 MTs per annum in 2020. With Airport. Chennai in 2011. the recent commissioning of phase III of iv) Construction of New Term. Building at New International Cargo Terminal, the . Setting up a Custom free zone: annual handling capacity of interna- v) Construction of New Term. Building at FTZs benefit the trade, particularly trans- tional cargo at Chennai Airport has gone . shipment and re-exporting operations. Such up to 1102723 MTs per annum which vi) Construction Of New Term. Building at a concept can be employed to promote an is sufficient till 2020. Similarly, cargo Airport. airport as a logistics center, allowing for ser- terminal at Kolkata Airport, as against vii) Construction of New Term. Building at vices to be provide for such trans-shipment/ available capacity of 303293 MTs per Kadappa Airport. re-export cargo, while providing for free annum, utilisation of handling capacity viii) Construction of New Term. Building at movement of goods within the free zone. is 43980 MTs per annum which, as per Khajurao Airport. the projections will be sufficient till 2020 ix) Development of Airport to cater Cargo hub development: when the cargo is likely to grow 102507 Code-C type of aircraft operations. A cargo hub is a concept which means MTs per annum. x) Development of Airport to the setting up of a centralised transit point cater Code-D type of aircraft operations. in a selected airport in the region to act as a hat are your air cargo targets xi) Construction of New Term. Building at distribution center for collection, sorting and Wfor 2014-15, domestic as well as Vijaywada Airport. onward delivery of air trans-shipment cargo. international? xii) Construction of New Term. Building at An approach towards airport cargo hub is The airports across the country handled Agartala Airport. meant to deliver significant boost to the trade 2190.55 thousand metric tonnes (Interna- xiii) Construction of New Domestic Term. and economy through: tional-1406.33 and Domestic – 784.22) of Building at Guwahati Airport. - Opening up of new markets through air cargo during the year 2012-13. The air xiv) Construction of New Domestic Term. increased connectivity cargo is projected to grow at five per cent Building at . - Employment generation opportunities for international as well as domestic sec- xv) Construction of New Term. Building at - Improvements in logistics and distribu- tor, and expected to be 1550.48 and 864.60 Itanagar Airport. tion infrastructure thousand metric tonnes respectively for the xvi) Construction of New Term. Building at Taking advantage of the geographical year 2014-15. .

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