Today’s pain is tomorrow’s gain will be the motto at Calcutta airport from February 15, 2010, with traffic being restricted because of an integrated terminal building coming up as part of the modernisation project.

“The approach road leading to the domestic terminal from the intersection of VIP Road will be closed. All vehicles coming to the airport will take the existing road leading to the international terminal,” said R. Srinivasan, the airport director.

The construction of the integrated terminal building — a key component of the Rs 2,100-crore modernisation project — is underway adjacent to the domestic terminal building. The target date of commissioning is May 5, 2011.

The traffic diversion would continue for more than a year, sources said. “The restrictions will be lifted once the proposed flyover connecting the integrated terminal and the ascending and descending roads in front of the terminal are ready,” said an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official. The diversion for VIP Road-bound vehicles from Jessore Road through the airport will also be closed temporarily to avoid congestion.

Every day, around 3,500 private vehicles and 1,500 taxis come to the airport. “Calcutta is not a greenfield airport and so any major construction work causes traffic disruption,” said Srinivasan.

The AAI is poised to set up the common user terminal equipment (CUTE), allowing multiple airlines to use a single check-in counter. “We will be implementing it in all 45 counters of the domestic terminal in four-five months,” said the airport director.