Smooth domestic takeoffs at IGI Airport soon

New Delhi, Dec 3: Long queues at domestic terminal of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) will soon be a thing of the past.

By 2008, officials say, a brand new terminal will be ready to cater to domestic travellers. Delhi International Airport Pvt Ltd (DIAL) is taking this step to provide modern amenities to passengers at IGIA and also cater to the fast growing domestic traffic.

Together with the new runway, which is also scheduled to finish in 2008, this new terminal will benefit passengers by reducing congestion inside the terminals and allow greater number of aircraft movements, thereby increasing the airport's capacity.

This new domestic terminal will include a new departures building and an expanded and improved arrivals building. The proposed departures building will be located between the existing terminal 1A and the terminal 1C (domestic arrivals).

The existing arrivals building 1C will be expanded when the departures are moved from terminal 1B to the proposed departures building. The existing terminal 1B will then be decommissioned.

The new building will be a two-level structure with check-in at an upper level and proceed to the security hold area. The departing passengers will then be able to avail ultra model lounges and retail facilities.

When flights are announced, passengers will travel downstairs to a gate hold room area and then to their respective aircraft. The expanded/improved arrivals building (terminal 1C) will be expanded to the north towards existing terminal 1B. This will allow an increase in baggage claim areas to ensure that passengers can retrieve their baggage quickly.

This will also allow greater passenger throughput capacity.

Arriving passengers will enter the terminal via gates on the airside and then proceed directly to the bag-claim areas on the rear side of the building. On claiming their bags, passengers then proceed outside.

DIAL is currently finalising a master plan for the modernisation and restructuring of Delhi airport. As part of the plan, a brand new integrated terminal (terminal 3) will be ready by 2010 for the Commonwealth Games.

This terminal will cater to both domestic and international traffic. The new domestic terminal together with terminal 1A will continue to serve airlines till 2010 when airlines like Indian, Jet Airways, Kingfisher, etc will move to terminal 3.

Domestic low cost carriers such as Air Deccan, Spicejet, etc will continue to operate here till a later stage.

DIAL is a joint venture company comprising the GMR group, the Airports Authority of India, Fraport, Malaysian Airport and India Development Fund.

The project being developed by DIAL under public private partnership has been given the mandate to finance, design, build, operate and maintain the Delhi airport for 30 years with an option to extend it by another 30 years.

UNI