101 (Coast Defence) Flight IAF, No. With the new parking bays, the Chennai Airport has 81 parking bays. 101 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron IAF. The building that is coming up in the space between the domestic and international terminals is likely to be ready before March next year. The domestic terminal covers 67,700sqm and will also have a provision of seven gates, two hard-stand hold rooms, and 52 check-in counters, besides eight counters for e-ticketing. The export facility covers an area of 16,366sqm and the import facility covers 16,500sqm.[64] The complex has an exclusive cargo apron which can accommodate three wide-bodied aircraft with ULD parking area and hydrant-refuelling facility at the bay. [citation needed] 2 . In January 2023, the airport handled 407 aircraft per day, an increase by almost 48% compared to the same period last year. AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA (AAI) has floated a tender for Corrigendum: License to Operate Eyewear Shop in the Domestic Terminal at Chennai Airport. Gold Worth Rs 1.75 Crore Seized at Chennai Airport; 5 Arrested. About 1,500 passengers and 2,000 airport workers were evacuated as water entered terminal buildings and 30-35 aircraft were stranded on the apron. For the new airport under construction, see, Annual passenger traffic at MAA airport. [69][71] A new route radar at Porur has also been installed and the 13-year-old terminal radar at the airport will be replaced. Address: GST Rd, Meenambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600027, INDIA Tel: 91 - 44 - 2256 1122 Fax: 91 - 44 - 2256 0512 Email: apdchennai@aai.aero Updates On 23.11.22, Wednesday @flyethiopian will be deploying its B787 (800/900) aircraft on Chennai-Addis Ababa sector (Mon & Friday). [9], The interest in flying among prominent residents of the city resulted in the arrival of a set of aviators in 1911 to display the flying machines they had brought with them to India as a marketing initiative. The New Chennai Greenfield International Airport in Parandur, will take a minimum 5 to 7 years to be built. The first incident happened on 13 May 2013 when 20 panels caved in near the security hold area due to heavy winds, followed by another incident on 11 August when 23 panels behind the check-in counters at the terminal crashed due to heavy condensation. When the pilot project starts, Chennai Airport will be the first airport in the country to have the facility. Updated: 13 Jan 2021, 02:28 PM IST PTI Passengers coming out from the Chennai airport after arrival, as the domestic flight services resume amid the COVID-19 lockdown on Monday. [56], The domestic terminal building currently measures 139,931sqft (13,000.0m2) and handles 4.74 million passengers a year. Construction of New Terminal Building, Apron, ATC Complex at Trichy Airport. Approach lights include CAT-1 category at runway 07 and CAT-1 type at runway 25 for 510m. Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI)-type landing aids are available in all the runways. In March 2011, by acquiring 136acres of land from the state government, AAI completed extension of the 2,035m secondary runway by 1,400m,[79] whose commissioning, initially planned to be by November 2011, has been delayed as the approach lighting system has not been installed. Airport Code, Location, and Contact Information. [11] Tyck flew again the next day, this time reaching a height of 2,400feet, which was witnessed by the then Governor of Madras Sir Arthur Lawley. (ANI Photo) The. [58], The new terminal buildings measure more than 140,000m2 (1,500,000sqft). The 1,97,000 sq. [163], As of July 2018, the AAI had acquired 130acres of land for the expansion of the present airport, and acquisition of another 101acres of land is in progress.[164]. The international and the domestic terminals cover an area of 1.5km2 and 1.8km2, respectively. [173] Additionally, Indian Air Force evacuated passengers from Chennai Airport to the two military bases for onward journeys on Air Force transport aircraft to other domestic destinations. The revamped design of the domestic terminal building will accommodate twice as many passengers in a three-storey structure 984ft long. Chennais second airport will function alongside the existing Chennai International Airport (MMA) which has reached its design capacity. It will require substantial land acquisition from local villages. Six land parcels for Chennai airport expansion identified. The authority is planning to open more shops in the premises. [175], Media related to Chennai International Airport at Wikimedia Commons. The Anna international terminal covers an area of 42,870m2 (461,400sqft) with 45 check-in counters and 38 immigration counters, including 16 in the departures area and 22 in the arrivals area, and 18 customs counters, including 2 in the departure area and 16 in the arrival area. Coordination with the neighbouring national FIRs of Kolkata and Mumbai and with the neighbouring international FIRs of Sri Lanka, Kuala Lampur, and Yangon for air traffic control purposes are being made with telecommunication links (both voice and data). On Wednesday (11 January), the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said that the Chennai airports new integrated terminal would be commissioned by the end of 2022. Source : The Times of India | Dated : Feb 25, 2021 CHENNAI: The Centre seems set to revive the second airport project at Sriperumbudur, with the ministry of commerce and industry including it on a list of projects under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) to attract global investors. The regional executive director (RED) is responsible for the air traffic services over the Chennai FIR and airport management on ground at the airports in South India. [174] On 5 December, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation permitted a partial re-opening of the airport during daylight hours under visual meteorological conditions only, allowing airlines to ferry stranded aircraft out of Chennai without passengers or cargo on board. During the early days, Madras Airport was one of the largest airports in India handling many international flight connections. [13], The history of civil aviation in India began in December 1912, with the opening of the first domestic air route between Karachi and Delhi by the Indian state Air services in collaboration with the Imperial Airways, United Kingdom. Lemon Tree Hotel, Shimona, Chennai Show prices On 26 October 1936, Captain V. Sundaram, who got the first commercial pilot licence in India, flew a de Havilland Dove aircraft from Karachi to Madras. The garden has about 40 different varieties of plants. Planning and Billing Engineers is expected at a construction site during project to monitor all stages of work and provide solutions. [11] Two days later, on 18 February, another demonstration was given by Pierre de Caters, when he flew his aircraft in public. Chennai International Airport (IATA: MAA, ICAO: VOMM) is an international airport serving the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu and its metropolitan area.It is located in Tirusulam, around 20 km (12 mi) southwest of the city centre.Chennai International Airport is the 6th busiest airport in India It was also 49th busiest airport in Asia in 2018 making it one of the four major airports in India under . [155] In future, the concourse of the metro station will be linked to the passenger terminals by means of a connector tube connecting the metro station to the flyover at the terminals, so that passengers alighting from the train can go to the departure area of the airport terminals without coming out of the station building. The modernisation of the Chennai Airport is planned in two stages -- the first stage has seen dismantling of the existing Domestic Terminal T-2 with an area of 19,250 square metres (sqm) for. [44] Parking bays at the domestic terminal include one in-contact bay for Airbus A300-sized aircraft, nine in-contact bays for Airbus A320/Boeing 737-sized aircraft, and 49 remote bays for A320/737-sized aircraft. Chennai Airport. 1.) Chennai's second airport will function alongside the existing Chennai International Airport (MMA) which has reached its design capacity. The new complex will have an area of 58,000sqm against the current area of 26,000sqm. The conventional way of warehouse management will be replaced by automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) The ASRS would have over 8,000 storage bins and each bin would have a capacity to store 1.3 to 1.5 tonnes of cargo in it. [160], In January 2018, a satellite terminal near the second runway was planned to be built in 3 years. Domestic flights operate from Terminal 1, international departures operate from Terminal 4, while the older Terminal 3 is used for international arrivals. [45] Around 550acres of the airport premises fall within the St. Thomas Mount and Pallavaram Cantonment Board's limits. "In Chennai, a new terminal building will be constructed and that along with the existing terminal will take passenger capacity from10 million annually to 30 million by 2010. 20,000 crore, says CM Stalin Following an approval from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Tamil Nadu government will take steps to begin measures such . Dismiss. The . According to the press release by the Airports Authority of India, the estimated cost of the project is Rs 2,467 crores. New Delhi: The Chennai airport 's new integrated terminal, which would be constructed after demolishing existing terminals 2 and 3, would be commissioned by December 2022, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said on Wednesday. [158], A vertical garden was constructed in the terminals at a cost of 400 million. [9] Inspired by Frenchman, Louis Blriot, the first to fly across English Channel in July 1909,[9][10] D'Angelis collaborated with Simpson's, a leading coach-builder in the city, to build a biplane. [24], On 23 September 1999, a centre for flowers, fruits and vegetables was commissioned at the cargo terminal. Chennai Airport, Tamil Nadu Second Airport News: Residents of Parandur in Tamil Nadu's Kancheepuram district are worried if every new car coming in is bringing officials for acquiring their agricultural land. Marutham Group is an iconic traditionally developed Construction company based in Chennai, having its branches at Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram and Puducherry in the southern part of India. [156] The Tirusulam suburban train station will also be integrated with the metro station and the airport. [60] A new 11,000 kV sub-station has been built by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) at the airport to serve the terminals, for which the power has been sourced from Kadapperi near Tambaram. The airport has an integrated cargo complex with ground floor space of 21,000m and first-floor area of 12,100m. CHENNAI: Chennai airport could be expanded across the Adyar River to handle 50 to 60 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and a masterplan will be prepared for this within six months, said. [22][23] In April 1991, the airline started performing the flight nonstop with Boeing 747 aircraft. [85] In February 2012, airport authorities announced that only about 2,160m of the secondary runway would be operational as there will be 330m permanent displacement at GST road side and 780m displacement at the other end. This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 23:31. The project includes the following key components: The old domestic terminal (T2) will be demolished and reconstructed. [17] The airport was built on land donated by the former governor of Madras Presidency, K. Sriramulu Naidu. Protests against the Parandur airport have been ongoing for over 200 days, with activists and local residents opposing the construction. The new terminal buildings are expected to cater to 14 million more passengers per annum, including 4 million per annum at the international terminals. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair. . Page last updated:February 27, 2023. [90] In June 2018, an 2,500-million multi-level car park with a capacity to accommodate 2,237 cars was planned at both ends of the Airport Metro Rail station in front of the airport on a 4.25-acre plot. Flt Lt H N Hawker became the club's first flight instructor. The airport lagged in star ratings a lot behind other comparative major airports like Bangalore, Kolkata, and Hyderabad in Skytrax Airport Awards and other reviews due to its insufficient terminal space and sanitization facilities at restrooms. Airports Authority of India, Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi-110003 Ph : 91-11-24632950 For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service, Come June, Chennai airport all set to get swanky upgrades, Jaw-Dropping Pics Of Gorgeous Jahnvi Kapoor, Anupama Parameswaran's fashionable moments, Smriti Iranis unseen pictures from her photo dumps, Tara Sutaria oozes oomph in seashell-embellished bikini, 10 richest women cricketers and how much they make annually, 'Shehzada' star Kriti Sanon hates THESE exercises, Best no make-up looks of Himanshi Khurana, Drunk man tries to sexually assault woman rly gatekeeper, Varsities asked to start skill courses in current semester, Chennai school conducts exam festival, Chennai- Thiruvananthapuram mail cancelled partially, June 30 deadline to draw boundaries for census: TN govt. The airport is divided into two circles, with five zones each, for administrative conveniences. [150], In 2008, Simplifly Deccan opened a US$2.9 million maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hangar at Chennai International Airport. [90] The mall will have a 238,100-square-feet cinema multiplex and a 35,678-square-feet 59-key transit hotel facility. The Kamaraj domestic terminal has a total of 9 boarding gates, including 6 on the ground floor and 3 on the first floor. Property demand in Chennai grew 8 per cent YoY in 2022, reaching 90 per cent closer to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. [17][18] Although the first aircraft landed in Madras Airport in 1930, the usage was confined only to military operations during World War II. Chennai's second airport to cost nearly Rs. The golden finish adds opulence and magnificence to the overall design of the New Terminal. About 2,085m of the runway was earlier used for landing only smaller aircraft, like ATR types. PM Modi with Karnataka CM Bommai . MES Provn Of Boundary Pillars At Dhana Military Station. [151], The airport houses many duty-free shops and restaurants in its lobby. [84] AAI planned to operate 2,400m even after removing obstructions. [38], Chennai Airport is the home to the southern regional office of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), whose main responsibilities include instituting standards and measures with respect to security of civil flights at international and domestic airports in India. The present proposal is parallel to the existing runway. CHENNAI: With a brand-new terminal and two multi-level car, The muti-level car parking complexes can accommodate around 2000 cars, Copyright 2023 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. [161] A 1.5km tunnel to connect the satellite terminal with the main buildings has been planned at a cost of 7,000 million. . Chennaiites celebrate New Year's eve indoors Chennai airport CHENNAI: With a brand-new terminal and two multi-level car parking complexes, all set to open in June, the year 2022 is going to be a crucial year for the development of Chennai airport. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In 1915, the first Indian airline, Tata Air Mail, started a regular airmail service between Karachi and Madras without any patronage from the government, marking the beginning of air transportation in the southern part of India. It will require substantial land acquisition from local villages. In a mega infrastructural push for Tamil Nadu, the Centre has green signalled the construction of a second airport in Chennai at a whopping investment of 40,000 crore. Construction of the new integrated terminal is under progress and completion is expected by December 2022, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [52], The airport was modernised and expanded in 2013, with the construction of a new international terminal (Terminal 4), the renovation of the existing Anna international terminal (Terminal 3), the construction of a new domestic terminal (Terminal 1), the extension of the secondary runway, and the creation of a parallel runway, taxiways, aprons, parking bays, and cargo terminal. [59] The power requirement at the expanded airport is around 110 kVA more than three times the current needs. The current development projects include construction of a brand new integrated terminal in place of the older Terminals 2 and 3 which currently lie in between the two newer Terminals 1 and 4. Chennai International Airport (MAA) is situated about nine miles (14 kilometers) southwest of the city center in Meenambakkam. [40], The Government of India has proposed to offer a contract to a private operator to maintain and operate the daily operations of the airport. AAI recently invited bids for the same and various firms including Tata, Fraport, Celebi, Sahara, GMR, GVK, and Essar have shown interest. In the early 80s, a new terminal was built at Tirusulam and passenger operations were shifted. [12] While demonstrating it to the public during the ticketed show, he even took a person from the crowd on the aircraft as his passenger. As proposed by the Tamil Nadu government, the airport may come up at Pannur in Thiruvallur district or Parandur, in Kancheepuram district. Aastha Enterprises - Offering Airport Construction Service, Airport Contractor Services, . The 24,760-million expansion programme commenced on 11 July 2018 and will be completed by 14 April 2023. 30 ft road. Copyright: Kovai Media Private Limited. Creative Group is the principal architect for the project providing comprehensive architecture and engineering consultancy for the design of the passenger terminal building, parking garage structures, and the roadway access system. In August 2022, the state government finally selected Parandur in Kanchipuram district as location for the new greenfield airport. The departure area will be featured on the top level with the arrivals section on ground level. [47] There are four entry gates at the airport, two each at both the terminals. The Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) comprises the city of Chennai, 8 Municipalities, 11 Town Panchayats, and 179 Village Panchayats in 10 Panchayat Unions. The airport metro station of the Chennai Metro connects the airport to other parts of the city, making it the second airport in India to be connected to a metro system. Boeing 767s operated the service. This location is deemed to be the most preferable site for the construction of the airport. This study is done to know whether a specific site will have sufficient space for establishing all the infrastructure needed for the new airport and also to make sure there was no interference. The international terminal will cover 59,300sqm with the provision of two gates with multiple hard-stand hold rooms, 52 check-in counters, eight counters for e-ticketing, 18/10 immigration/custom counters for handling passenger arrivals, and 18 immigration counters for departing passengers. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake. [10] When the state council of Ceylon built an aerodrome at Ratmalana near Colombo in 1935, the first flight to land there was flown by chief flying instructor of the club Tyndale Biscoe. The complex would be constructed, at a cost of 1,450 million, in 15 months. This section will be updated when the project moves towards approval. It is an ISO 9001-2015 certified customer-centric quality oriented promoter and builder, enjoying an envious position by . 0:00 / 1:55 #Chennai #ChennaiAirport #Exclusive Exclusive | Inside Chennai airport's new integrated terminal | The Hindu 123,729 views Apr 26, 2022 The new integrated terminal at Chennai. With a heavy investment of Rs.40,000 crores, Chennai is all set to have a second airport. [77], Chennai Airport does not have rapid exit taxiways that help pilots to vacate a runway without slowing down the aircraft soon after landing. [65], In 2009, an integrated cargo complex was planned in the cargo complex of the airport. Coronavirus-Infected Passenger Deboarded from Flight in Chennai. [67], Chennai is the home to India's biggest air traffic control (ATC) centre. Airport Planner jobs Project Planning Engineer jobs Civil Engineering Intern jobs Cost Control Engineer jobs . The Sriperumbudur airport development project, estimated at 15,000 crore, is expected [] The city of Chennai is sometimes referred to as Madras, the old name that was officially changed in 1996. The wings of a bird in flight inspire and shape this very mammoth terminal building, whose sheer scale and size awes the onlooker. [88], In 2018, the airport acquired 151acres for expansion works from neighbouring areas including Kolappakkam, Manappakkam, St. Thomas Mount and Cowl Bazaar. Most of the roofing work and glass panelling work is done. As a result, it will link Tambaram on the ORR to the airport. The new design, based on the organisation of security and passenger circulation, centres around two lush, ecologically sustainable gardens each measuring nearly an acre and includes a parking garage with a green roof over 300m long and rainwater capture systems collectively known as the "green gate" of the terminal. Chennai Airport. While working with the bomb disposal squad they screen the bags left unattended. Let me know here. Call us: 91-22-24193000; Gold; . The spaces are connected with a central security checkpoint for departure and there is a glass bridge on each side of the building for arriving passengers. Construction began in March 2019 and was completed in December 2021 after several delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic impact. It will be connected with the Bangalore Chennai Expressway. The aviation history of the city began in 1910, when a city-based Corsican hotelier Giacomo D'Angelis built an aircraft and tested it in Island Grounds. Automatic boarding, additional food courts, expansive baggage claim and arrival area, extra greenery, and state-of-the-art architecture designs are features of the new terminal. Chennai Airport New Integrated Terminal Building Update 24 | The new terminal building features dazzling grandiose pillars & columns finished with stainless steel champagne strips. The Mudichur area got flooded because of the construction of the secondary runway over the Adyar river because that blocks the flow . "The winged profile of Chennai Airport" The wings of a bird in flight inspire and shape this very mammoth terminal building, whose sheer scale and size awes the onlooker. Once the new airport is commissioned, both the airports will be functional.[8]. [166] The greenfield airport will be able to handle 40 million passengers per annum. [147] The Taj Madras Flight Kitchen also has a multi-cuisine restaurant with a full-fledged bar named 'Flights of Fancy' at the airport serving snacks and refreshments. However, it was just an extension of LondonKarachi flight of the Imperial Airways. "The Emirates Airbus A380 aircraft serving the Dubai-Bahrain route on March 6 will offer a total of 517 seats in a three-class configuration, with 427 spacious seats in Economy Class, 76 fully . Chennai International Airport (IATA: MAA, ICAO: VOMM) is an international airport serving the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu and its metropolitan area. Discussions have already begun to sort out details of the shifting. Commission will be done in two phases, the primary at June 2021. Other sites in contention were located at Sriperumbudur, Maduranatakam, Walajabad, Alamathy, Kancheepuram, Cheyyur, Mamandur, Parandur or Gummidipoondi. It is equipped with an engineering and training facility and an engineering maintenance conference room. The equipment will be set up at the Air Traffic Services complex. Rescue and assistance flights, however, were permitted to operate in and out of the airport. [72][73][74], Chennai is among the four flight information centres in the country besides Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, and the Chennai ATC has Hyderabad, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and Bangalore under its control. The aircraft was wheeled out by eight men with Tyck seated inside the craft wearing an oilskin coat and goggles. Covid-19 Omicron: Chennai Airport Reduces RT-PCR, Rapid PCR Cost by Upto Rs 500. As of 11 August 2015, the number of incidents have reached 50 which has been a point of discussion in social networking sites. In 2011, AAI began work on upgrading the existing taxiways and parking bays at the airport to handle these jumbo planes. The new integrated terminal CHENNAI: The new integrated airport terminal has started to take shape as more than 75% of the construction has been completed. After the completion of the international terminal, the old terminal (Terminal 1) at Meenambakkam was used exclusively for cargo. By 202021, the airport is expected to handle 700 movements a day. The Wednesday schedule will continue with B737 Max. Toll Free(India): 1800 209 4544; Available from: 8 am to 8 pm IST; International: +91 22 6752 5899 . The garden is watered using the drip irrigation method. [165] To be built in two phases, the anticipated expenditure for phase I of the project is 40,000 million with an 87,000sqm terminal along with a parking space for 750 vehicles. In September 2018, AAI started construction on the new terminal. [157] A flyover at the entrance of the airport helps the traffic on GST road bypass the entrance. The airport is served by Tirusulam railway station on the Suburban railway network. The modernisation of the Chennai Airport is planned in two stages. [68] The ATC tower is located at the Air Traffic Services Complex. AAI found two sites at Parandur and Pannur comparatively more feasible for development of airports. As of today, the CISF team in charge of Chennai Airport security has a dog squad of 9 dogs. has started to take shape as more than 75% of the construction has been completed. Chennai View Mobile Number Contact Supplier Request a quote Airports Construction Service This Business Unit (BU) undertakes end to end responsibilities in design and turnkey construction of major airports including all associated airport facilities. [70], As a first step towards integrating the entire airspace in the country, the automation system at the ATC in Chennai Airport was commissioned on 1 October 2011. 3gpp specification graduate Jobs in India on TimesJobs. New Delhi: In order to attain Tamil Nadu 's goal of becoming a $1 trillion economy and make Chennai the best destination for investments in Asia, CM MK Stalin on Tuesday announced that the city will get its second airport at Parandur at an estimated cost of Rs 20,000 crore. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever. The first stage has seen dismantling of the existing Domestic Terminal T-2 with an area of 19,250 sqm. GST Road, Meenambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600027, India+91 44-2256-0551 Sign up to ride Get a price estimate Reserve a ride with Uber in advance at Chennai International Airport Complete your plans today by reserving a ride with Uber to Chennai International Airport. The arrivals section will form the base for airlines and other offices with the basement reserved for luggage scanners. The hangar, which took nearly two years to build, has a total construction area of 3,200sqm. The maintenance hall spans 46m wide, 54m deep and 17m high. More detailed info at - https://www.hipfig.com/chennai-airportChennai Airport Transfers - Budget Cars - https://bit.ly/3nXecMZ (starting at 1,095.57)Th. At present, the new international block (Terminal 4) is used for departures while the older Anna Terminal (Terminal 3) is used for arrivals. 24. Besides the two radars in Chennai, radar systems in Mangaluru, Bangalore, Bangalore HAL, Shamshabad (Hyderabad), Bellary and Thiruvananthapuram are included in the new system. 950 sq ft fully furnished office space on rent at anna nagar east. [21] In November 1988, British Airways inaugurated a link to London, Chennai's first route to Europe. Chennai International Airport is the 6th busiest airport in India It was also 49th busiest airport in Asia in 2018 making it one of the four major airports in India under the top 50 list of 2018. [69] Advance surface movement guidance and control system has been introduced in the ATC tower. The AAI has divided the building for land-side and air-side operations. [76], Chennai Airport has two runwaysthe 3,662m (12,014ft) long primary runway No 07/25 (North-east South-west orientation) and the 2,925m (9,596ft) long secondary runway No 12/30 (North-west South-east orientation). In 2012, the feasibility report of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), suggested that a second airport for the city could come up on 5,000 acres (2,000ha) at Sriperumbudur, was submitted to the state government. [48] The total area of retail space at the existing domestic and international terminals is 3,250sqm, comprising 60 concessions including duty-free retail shops, restaurants, snack bars, and executive lounges. [172] Military authorities permitted the use of Naval Air Station INS Rajali in Arakkonam, 70km (43mi) west of central Chennai and Tambaram Air Force Station 20km (12mi) south as relief airports for a limited service of civilian commercial flights as well as official rescue/assistance flights.