Re-defining passenger services, Kolkata Airport is all set to become an aviation hub of the region.Kolkata Airport is the fifth busiest airport in the country and the largest in Eastern India having 24 international and 10 domestic airlines operating from Kolkata. Passenger trafficAt present the New Integrated Terminal Building (NITB) has a capacity of handling 26 million passengers annually. The airport witnessed 26 per cent growth in passenger volume in 2018-19 with an approximate 21,877,350 passengers. It is also planning on incorporating additional flights. FacilitiesKolkata Airport has 128 check-in counters facilitating CUTE technology, 56 immigration counters, 18 aerobridges, nine remote boarding gates and 63 parking stands for aircraft. Besides, it has 18 escalators, 13 travellators and 31 elevators in the terminal building. A total of 16 baggage conveyor belts are also functional at arrival and eight at departure level. Furthermore, Kolkata became the fifth airport in India to have CAT III landing system, the second-most advanced instrument landing system available that allows flights to operate till the visibility drops to 50 m.New initiatives The construction of an ATC tower and a technical block has commenced, with AAI getting all security and design approvals. Construction of three hangars with annex building at Narayanpur side of the airport is also in progress, and is likely to be completed by mid-2020. The current Kolkata Metro expansion plans include two new lines to the airport, one from Noapara connecting at Barasat, and the other from New Garia. Construction of the Domestic Cargo Building has also been proposed, which will allow more space and efficient movement of cargo. Local artworkThe landscape concept and under roofing designs for the airport terminal are rooted with rich cultural heritage of Kolkata and Bengal. On the domestic departure level of the terminal, the ‘Baul’ dance sculpture gives a glimpse of the rich culture of Bengali folk songs. In the Kolkata Airport gallery, one can also see Mahatma Gandhi’s association with West Bengal, which has been displayed in 24 panels.Social contributionWith the motto of Clean India-Green India, Kolkata Airport has incorporated solar powered electricity for the operation of its 2.4 lakh sq m terminal building. Latest energy-efficient equipment such as green chillers, VFDs, BMS and LED lighting were also adopted while designing the NITB. Kolkata Airport has also developed a 240-sq-ft area green wall, spread across four different locations. The indoor green wall provides insulation to keep the inside temperature of the buildings at a consistent level. Kolkata Airport has also started its drive to make the airport plastic-free by curtailing the use of single-use plastic. (Communication by the management of the company)