Delhi Airport To Operate At Full Capacity Before Festive Season

Delhi International Airport will operate at full capacity by year-end, with Terminal 1 reopening in April and Terminal 2 undergoing extensive refurbishment. The new infrastructure and upgrades project is part of an INR 12500 crore investment to support growing passenger traffic. Proposed tariff revisions are also being considered to fund these improvements.

The Delhi Airport will operate at its full capacity of handling around 109 million passengers annually by the end of this year. On Wednesday, the Delhi International Airport Limited said that Terminal 1 will operate by April, and Terminal 2 will be under refurbishment for 4-5 months. Delhi International Airport Limited CEO Videsh Kumar Jaipuria said, "We are expecting T1 to start in April after regulatory approvals, and only after that it starts when T2 will put for thorough refurbishment of hat so that will take about four to five months to be ready with T2 before the festive season".

T1 has an annual passenger capacity of 40 million, T2 has 15 million, and the remaining is at T3. he added that there would be no inconvenience to the passengers as T1 and T3 would share the passenger load. When T2 is under refurbishment, one of the runways will also be non-operational for upgrade work. It has to be compelled before the winter.

Speaking on the proposed tariff revision at Delhi airport, CEO Videsh Kumar said that currently, the per-pax tariff is INR 145, and the proposal that we have put in is about INR 370, so the impact per passenger is about INR 225. "If I look at the base figure of INR 145, it is the same as in 2006, considering that we are already about 18-19 years old from 2006. I think this is a justified increase, and all the different agencies have validated it," he said.

He further stated that this investment is intended to support the additional funding made by DIAL. For instance, the recently completed Phase 3A involved an expenditure of INR 12500 crore allocated for constructing Terminal 1, a new taxiway, an apron, parking stands, and other infrastructure. He added that the airport has been investing in these developments to facilitate the growth of Indian aviation.

Terminal 2 of Delhi Airpot was initially constructed 40 years ago by the Airports Authority of India. It will undergo a comprehensive refurbishment spearheaded by GMR Airports Limited led Delhi International Airport Limited. The refurbishment will modernise key areas of the terminal and surrounding infrastructure, ensuring that T2 remains a top-tier facility in the global aviation landscape capable of accommodating the changing needs of passengers and supporting the airport's continued growth.

The refurbishment of Terminal 2 is part of DIAL's commitment to creating a world-class hub for travellers across India and Southeast Asia. The terminal and its associated apron have served passengers for over four decades, and significant upgrades are essential with the rapid increase in air traffic. The refurbished T2 will have new passenger boring bridges. The Aerbridges will have autonomous docking technology, the first in India.

Contemporary ceilings and skylight designs for a more appealing surrounding. Advanced flooring and better road connectivity for passengers' convenience.

The enhancements will help accommodate the anticipated surge in domestic passenger numbers. DIAL projects that it will reach its maximum passenger capacity by FY 2025-26.