The Port Blair airport, officially known as Veer Savarkar Airport, will have a new terminal building very soon, Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials said.

A world-class terminal building is coming up at the airport at an estimated cost of Rs 417 crore, the AAI officials said and the deadline is 2020.

Speaking to PTI, the director of Port Blair airport, George D Silva said that work on the project commenced on January 14, 2017 and the construction work is progressing as per schedule.

The built-up area of the new terminal will be 40,000 square metres and it will be able to handle 1,200 passengers -- 600 domestic and 600 international passengers-- at a time during peak hours, he said.

The shell-shaped design of the building has been inspired by nature - a shape which is a part of the seas and islands, the airport director said.

The height of the terminal buildings roof would vary between between 18 metres and 32 metres.

The building will have three floors. While one floor would be used as departure and as service area, the other floors would be used for access to the terminal building and for arrival of passengers, and as waiting lounge for international passengers, the airport director said.

The airport will have four aerobridges. The new building will have 10 elevators and six escalators, he said.

There will be 28 check-in counters. An in-line scan system would be used for handling baggage. There will be three conveyor belts arrival baggage, two for domestic and one for International separated, which will be separated by a sliding glass partition, D Silva said.

The building features easy check-in, ease of movement to departure gates and minimum queueing as well as nice waiting and shopping areas, D Silva added.

The entire terminal will have 100 per cent natural lighting for 12 hours a day which will be achieved by skylights along the roof.

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