Chennai, Oct 2 (NationPress) Coimbatore International Airport is poised for a significant enhancement in its underground drainage and sewage management as the Airports Authority of India (AAI) collaborates with the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) on a Rs 93-crore initiative aimed at addressing untreated wastewater flowing through the airport area and beneath the runway.

Currently, a natural drainage channel transporting sewage from regions like Nehru Nagar, Tidal Park, and Brindhavan Nagar enters the airport from the north, traversing Avinashi Road and extending nearly 600 metres within the airport.

This channel runs beneath the runway and is only partially covered, with its entry points often blocked by plastic and solid waste. Such conditions have resulted in unpleasant odours and stagnant wastewater near the airport, attracting birds and posing potential safety risks for flight operations.

To mitigate these challenges, the civic authority has drafted a comprehensive project report (DPR) proposing a sealed underground canal system connected to a sewage treatment plant (STP). Once treated, the wastewater will be redirected out of the airport into the natural drain leading to the Aachankulam tank.

Two potential STP sites are under consideration: one on the western side of the airport at Brindhavan Nagar and another on the northern side where the drain passes beneath the runway.

Officials indicated that the project is being developed as part of the forthcoming airport expansion strategy to ensure long-term sustainability and safety.

Discussions are ongoing to establish the construction methodology, with alternatives including a box culvert structure or large-diameter pipelines to transport treated water securely away from flight paths.

While the civic body has calculated the Rs 93-crore budget and integrated the sewage strategy with stormwater management in adjacent areas, final determinations regarding implementation and funding are still pending.

One possibility is to incorporate this initiative into the overall airport expansion works, enabling AAI to directly manage it or finance the civic body for its execution. Authorities believe that completing this integrated drainage and STP system alongside the expansion will alleviate long-standing sanitation issues, enhance airside safety by diminishing bird activity, and provide relief to nearby residential communities plagued by sewage odours and blockages.