AAI Starts Building 10 Quick Exit Taxiways at Chennai Airport

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has started building 10 quick exit taxiways at Chennai Airport to help planes leave runways faster. This will save fuel and reduce air traffic congestion in the future.

Construction began after getting approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in late April. The project aims to improve airport efficiency, allowing it to handle up to 45 flights per hour once completed. Currently, the airport handles about 36 flights an hour.

Officials said that after completing a few taxiways earlier, more are being built now. This comes as part of Phase II Modernisation, which includes opening the new T3 International Terminal in December. The terminal is expected to increase both air and passenger traffic.

Planning for this project started in early 2024, with many approvals needed before work could begin. The project is set to finish in one year, with a revised cost of ₹230 crore. Originally, 11 taxiways were planned, but the final plan reduced it to 10.