According to the Times of India, the awaiting environmental clearance (EC) is expected to cause a delay in the much-anticipated expansion of the international terminal (T2) at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, which is part of Project Anantha.

Initially expected to commence in April, construction work on T2 is (international terminal) is on hold as the application awaits approval from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).

MoEF’s proposals are being incorporated into the master plan, and construction won’t start until the Union Ministry gives its approval.

“It will take at least four months to finish the process. All pertinent information was acquired at a recent stakeholder meeting that included the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Kerala State Industrial Enterprises Ltd. (KSIE). The final master plan will be shaped by these and the suggestions made by MoEF. ToI cited a source close to the project as stating, “We expect the EC within the next four months so that work can commence afterward.”

The extension of the terminal is a component of a larger infrastructural initiative.

Due to environmental concerns, namely with regard to the subterranean component, SEIAA previously directed a change of the conceptual plan for a proposed five-star hotel on the city side of the airport. The MoEF has not yet approved this project either.

In the meantime, the domestic terminal, Terminal 1, is undergoing a quick renovation.

A contemporary parking structure is already finished, and the installation of a new canopy is almost finished. It is anticipated that the T1 upgrades would be completed in two months.

Adani Group confirmed its commitment to the airport’s redevelopment at the Invest Kerala Summit in February, where it announced an investment of Rs 5,500 crore spread over five years.

While a bigger Rs 3,000 crore master plan is presently being reviewed by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA), the AERA had previously cleared Rs 1,200 crore for construction.

Redevelopment of both terminals, multi-level parking, retail and dining areas, a five-star hotel, air traffic control infrastructure, and administrative offices are all part of the ambitious plan, which spans 4.52 lakh square meters.

The improved facility is expected to handle 0.42 million tons of freight and 27 million passengers annually when it is finished by January 2034.