NEW DELHI: Delhi’s IGI Airport is gearing up for the final phase of development in GMR Group’s first 30-year concession period that ends in 2036, with its overall capacity expected to increase 18% from the current 10.6 crore passenger annually (CPA) to 12.5 CPA by 2029-end following a capex of Rs 3,000 crore.The proposed Rs 3,500-crore air train that will link IGIA’s terminals and Aerocity, however, has been delayed yet again and is now expected to be in place only by Dec 2030, instead of 2029. While domestic capacity across T1, 2, 3 will increase 15% from 7.5 CPA to 8.6 CPA primarily by adding a new Pier E at T3, international capacity will rise 26% from the current 3.1 CPA to 3.9 CPA at T3, new Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) CEO Pradeep Panicker said Tuesday.The ultimate task of redeveloping India’s busiest airport – demolishing the 1986-era T2 and building a bigger T4 in its place – is most likely to happen in the second 30-year concession period beginning 2036. Noida Airport’s initial capacity of 1.2 CPA is set to increase to 3 CPA by 2030, depending on traffic growth, which has impacted IGIA’s growth plans.GMR had in 2006 bagged IGIA to develop it on a PPP basis for a 30-year concession period, extendable by another 30 years. Some of the key features of the 10-year master plan, which will be implemented by 2036:Terminals: T3 will see the biggest change, with a new pier E to be built by the end of 2029 at a cost of Rs 2,500 crore. This will be a domestic pier, along with the adjacent pier D. “We will also increase the capacity of T1 by adding infrastructure like check-in and security counters, along with some other tweaks. Only T2’s capacity will remain unchanged at 1.4 CPA. At some places, we are planning swing gates that can handle both domestic and international flights,” said Panicker.Access: “The main access road will be widened to six to eight lanes each way. The T3 ramp will be expanded at both departure and arrival levels. We are in touch with various authorities for expanding the access roads and a multi-modal transport system for the airport,” said the CEO.Air train: Even as IGIA will get an even bigger T3 (total projected capacity 6.6 CPA by 2029-end, up from current 5 CPA) and T2 (1.4 CPA) on the one side and T1 (total projected capacity 4.5 CPA soon, up from current 4.2 CPA) on the other, with an ever-expanding Aerocity and cargo terminal, seamless passengers transfers between T1 and T3/2 will remain a dream till 2030-end as the air train has been delayed. “Work on its design is on,” said Panicker.
