Sun May 11 05:31:35 UTC 2025: ## Chennai Airport Expansion Delayed Again: Passengers Face Ongoing Disruption
**Chennai, India (May 11, 2025)** – The much-anticipated expansion of Chennai airport’s integrated terminal building (NITB) has been hit by further delays, pushing back the completion date to August 2026. Originally slated for December 2025, the second phase of the ₹2,467 crore modernization project is now expected to be finished in June 2026, followed by inspections and final preparations.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) attributes the delays to several factors, including challenging geological conditions during excavation, cost escalation disputes with the contractor, and setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the first phase of the NITB was inaugurated two years ago, the second phase, which will also handle international flights, remains incomplete. Currently, only 25% of the work is finished.
The ongoing construction has caused significant disruption for air passengers. Frequent flyer R. Sivakumar expressed frustration with the prolonged construction, stating, “It doesn’t feel nice to fly in and out of an airport which constantly has some construction or the other work going on.” He called for accountability and a faster resolution.
The AAI maintains that it is working to expedite the project and aims to have the expanded terminal fully operational by August 2026, enabling the airport to handle up to 35 million passengers annually.
First Piper 