DIAL submits master plan for modernisation of IGI airport

New Delhi, Oct 4 (UNI) Delhi International Airport Private Limited (DIAL), a public private partnership initiative mandated to operate, manage and develop the Delhi airport, has submitted its master plan to the ministry of civil aviation and to the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

The plan includes in detail DIAL's proposal to modernise the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport into a world-class structure.

DIAL envisions the construction of a new integrated passenger terminal to cater to both domestic and international traffic. The terminal will be ready before the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

In its first phase, the new terminal will be capable of handling more than 35 million passengers per annum. Prior to that, a new runway with Airbus A380 compatibility will be completed by March 2008 to complement the existing two runways.

''For DIAL, the master plan is the first step towards the realisation of a dream -- the dream to build an airport that showcases India to the world,'' said a senior official.

''DIAL is committed to developing infrastructure projects that help in the country's progress to take its righteous place as one of the leading economies of the world.'' The master plan by Mott McDonald, a leading management, engineering and development consultancy based in Britain, and HOK (a world renowned airport architects) envisages modern airport complete with integrated terminal and runways.

DIAL is a joint venture company consisting of GMR group, the AAI, Fraport, Eraman Malaysia and India Development Fund.

UNI SU CS HT1935