Kolkata: Kolkata airport on Thursday unveiled a glitzy epoxy flooring near gate 25 at the northern-end of the departure terminal's security hold area (SHA), replacing the dull, worn-out dark grey and blue carpets with a white, yellow, and grey floor that added a dash of cheer to the terminal's look and feel. Over the next few months, carpets at the other boarding gates will be removed, and the epoxy flooring will be extended to the other end of the SHA. The cost of the floor facelift is Rs 7 crore.
The carpets are now laid across 43,000 sq ft of floor near boarding gates that lead to 18 aerobridges in the facility. In use since the terminal's launch on Jan 23, 2013, the carpets long outlived their utility and were in crying need of an upgrade. Nearly 10 crore flyers who took flights out of the airport in past 11 years walked over this carpeted section, causing them to get frayed. They also gathered dust and stains from constant use.
"It has not only enhanced aesthetics of the terminal, it will be more durable, easy to maintain, chemical resistant and cost-effective," said airport director Pravat Ranjan Beuria.