As part of the Coimbatore NXT initiative, a Stakeholders’ Meeting on Airport Planning & Development was convened on 5th May 2025, at Coimbatore.
The meeting primarily focused on the proposal to establish an interim facility to meet the region’s rapidly increasing air traffic demand, ahead of the construction of the new airport.
The proposal was presented in the presence of Pavan Kumar G Giriyappanavar, District Collector, Coimbatore, who commended the collective efforts of stakeholders in shaping the city’s future infrastructure.
Coimbatore Airport currently handles 3.25 million passengers annually and with an impressive occupancy rate of 89.53%, reaching 100% during peak hours. It is the second busiest airport in Tamil Nadu and ranks 22nd in India.
Additionally, the Coimbatore–Tiruppur region, ranked as the 10th richest metropolitan area in India by GDP, highlights the region’s strong economic influence and potential for greater air traffic.
The cargo throughput has also surged, with 12,139 tons handled in FY 2024–25, marking a 36% year-on-year increase.
The current terminal, with a design capacity of 3.63 million passengers per annum (MPPA), is expected to reach saturation by FY 2025–26.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has projected a requirement of 5.1 MPPA by FY 2027–28, with the new Integrated Terminal Building (NITB) anticipated by FY 2031–32.
To address this immediate capacity shortfall, stakeholders proposed an interim solution to expand the airport’s handling capacity to 10 MPPA, ensuring seamless operations until the NITB is operational.
The committee also discussed a new 4.5 km road connectivity proposal from Codissia Junction to the upcoming terminal, which will significantly reduce travel time compared to the current plans via SITRA (9.5 km) and Codissia (11 km). This enhanced accessibility is expected to bolster passenger convenience and operational efficiency.
District Collector Pavan Kumar, during his remarks, emphasized the importance of timely interventions and appreciated the Coimbatore NXT team and all participating stakeholders for their commitment to the city’s progress.
He reaffirmed that the proposals would be deliberated with AAI and necessary follow-up actions would be taken. He also projected a passenger handling potential of 15 million per annum by FY 2031–32 for Coimbatore.
The meeting was Co-Chaired by R Nandini, Immediate Past Chairperson, CII Southern Region and Vijay Mohan, Founder, Pricol Ltd. Representatives from key industry associations and civic bodies including CII, CODISSIA, ICCI, IIF, SIMA, SEIMA, TEA, Siruthuli, RAAC, CREDAI, and Kongu Global Forum actively participated in the meeting, reflecting the unified vision for a modern and future-ready Coimbatore.
Eminent industry leaders who are members of Coimbatore NxT, including Vanitha Mohan, Sakthivel, Shankar Vanavarayavar, Rajesh B Lund, Mithun Ramdas, Soundararajan, D Srinivasan, Arjun Prakash, Prashanth and Sathish and other members contributed valuable insights and assured support in taking the representation forward to the Civil Aviation Minister and appropriate authorities.
As a final request, members also urged the District Collector to include representatives of the Coimbatore NXT team in the airport development coordination committee formed along with the MPs of the district, as the committee can play a vital role in sharing valuable inputs that will help take this initiative forward.
