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Airport type Privately owned for Public use Operator Karaikal Airport Private Limited Location Karaikal, Puducherry, India | ||
Karaikal Airport is a greenfield airport under construction at Karaikal, in the Union territory of Puducherry, India. It was touted to become the first airport in the country to be built entirely with private capital. However, execution of the project has been delayed due to paucity of funds.
The project, proposed with 100% private ownership for public use, received in-principle clearance from the Ministry of Civil Aviation in February 2011. Construction work was scheduled to commence in May 2013. Karaikal's Air Traffic Control, however, will be operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
The Airport, spread across 562 acres, is being developed by Karaikal Airport Private Limited, a subsidiary of Super Airport Infrastructure Private Limited. The first phase of construction involved the construction of an 1800-metre runway and a terminal building capable of handling 250 passengers during peak hours at an initial expense of Rupees 60 crore. The airport is expected to handle airliners like the Boeing 737. The company plans to expand the airport after five years, extending the runway to 2600 metres and increasing terminal building capacity to 500 passengers per hour. A further expansion is planned ten years down the line with a 3500-metre runway and a passenger capacity of 1,000 per hour.
Besides serving Karaikal, the Airport will bring air connectivity to the various pilgrim centres including Thirunallar, Velankanni, Nagore and various temple towns including Kumbakonam, Mayiladuthurai, Thirumanancheri, Thirukadayur, Thirunallar and Point calimere (Kodikkarai) as well as the historic sites of Tarangambadi, Poompuhar and Vedaranyam (Thirumaraikkadu).