Chennai Airport Opens for Flights Carrying Relief Supplies

CHENNAI: The Chennai airport opened on Saturday for limited flights carrying relief supplies for the rain-hit state.

Four relief aircraft took off from the airport till Saturday afternoon. The airport was also used for helicopters carrying relief material for the flood affected areas. Partial operations have begun at the airport amid intermittent rain.

This is the first set of flights to operate out of the airport since Tuesday evening, when the airport was shut due to excessive water logging.

“We started technical flights from Chennai airport. But we are unable to resume commercial flights as the basement of the airport is still waterlogged and power supply of the terminal building has not been restored completely. It might take at least 2-3 days to clear the airport for operations,” the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Mahesh Sharma, said.

Officials said the next step will be limited commercial flight operations, after power supply resumes. Tamil Nadu Electricity authorities clarified that they had restored the supply of power but the airport was “facing internal issues.”

A total 34 aircraft of various airlines were stranded at the airport due to the flooding caused by torrential rains. Chennai airport authorities had suspended flights till Sunday in the wake of floods.

Yesterday, it was declared fit for operating technical ferry and relief flights. Following inspection of the runway and other areas, it was declared available for limited day time operations, an AAI statement had said.

On an average, Chennai airport handles 320 landings and take-offs in a day, including international flights.

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Source:Ndtv