CUMTA writes to AAI over shifting cargo terminal to rear side of Chennai airport

Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) has yet again written to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) proposing to shift the existing cargo terminal to the rear side of Chennai airport. This will help in providing more space for additional apron facilities and establish an exclusive corridor for cargo movement. 

This is part of CUMTA’s City Logistics Plan (CLP) for 2025-26, which aims to bring down traffic congestion in the city by rerouting cargo movement and creating dedicated cargo connectivity. 

AAI had originally planned to build a satellite terminal (T5 terminal) in the rear side of the airport near the remote bays which would increase the passenger handling capacity of the airport from 35 million (after the completion of phase II modernisation) to 50 million passengers. As an extension of this plan, AAI also envisaged the construction of an elevated corridor from National Highway-32 to provide access to this terminal.

Subsequently, AAI requested the State government’s approval for building this corridor. The latter asked for a hydrological impact study to be done to ensure that water flow on Adyar River isn’t affected due to the pillars to be built for the proposed corridor. Recently, AAI submitted this study as well. AAI says, the land available on the rear side can cater to both the satellite terminal and the cargo terminal.

But, according to CUMTA, it would do well to shift the cargo operations alone to the rear side of the airport, since the exclusive corridor will facilitate faster cargo movement without having to navigate along with regular traffic. “Since the State government is planning to build the Parandur airport in a few years, it is wiser to utilise this space as a cargo terminal. It will help to improve the cargo handling capacity of the city manifold,” an official said.

According to CUMTA: “The major movements of commercial air cargo originate from industrial areas like Thirumudivakkam and Irungattukottai in the western parts of Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA). The approach route is Outer Ring Road, crossing Chennai Bypass via Pallavaram. In a scenario of shifting the air cargo terminal to the westside of Chennai airport, the new connectivity can be provided to the new air cargo terminal via ORR Bypass route.”

This is the second time that CUMTA has written to AAI seeking to shift the cargo terminal. “We already held a meeting with AAI in this regard in June 2025. Now, we have sent them a reminder letter to implement this plan and are awaiting their response,” another official said.

An AAI official said the plan was referred to the organisation’s headquarters in New Delhi. “If this corridor is built and the right of way will be used by the villages nearby, then there are financial implications to it and a cost sharing agreement may be needed. We will have a meeting as soon as we receive a response from New Delhi,” the official said.