The Hindu : New Delhi News : Better days ahead for Delhi airport

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Better days ahead for Delhi airport

Parul Sharma

Terminal 2 at Indira Gandhi International Airport to get a makeover

NEW DELHI: A more spacious interior with more immigration and emigration counters and upgraded facilities for passengers is what the International Terminal is tipped to look like when Terminal 2 at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport gets a makeover by the middle of next year.

Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd. has made elaborate plans to enhance the capacity of the terminal as well as improve its aesthetics and functionality.

“To cater to growing passenger traffic, a number of steps are being taken to enhance the comfort level of passengers and provide more facilities to them,” said a DIAL spokesperson.

In the departure area, additional space is being created in the concourse. The number of check-in counters would be increased to 100 to speed up the process.

Similarly, 26 new emigration counters are being added to ensure a smoother passage for passengers. The area allocated to emigration checks will be more than doubled and now cover 1,330 sq. m. For transit passengers also additional space is being created and the number of counters increased.

“For arriving passengers, immigration will now be a breeze with the addition of 20 new counters. The immigration area will also be enlarged. The Customs control facility is also being enhanced with the addition of more desks,” the spokesperson said, adding, “there is also good news for passengers arriving with large-sized luggage. An oversized baggage belt complete with its dedicated X-ray unit would be introduced. A brand new arrivals concourse measuring 2,000 sq. m. is being created and more space would be added to facilitate faster baggage handling.”

The security control area will also be expanded to nearly four times the current size. Additional X-ray units are being added for faster security clearance. Retail facilities in the departure concourse will be enhanced for the benefit of passengers. The up-gradation of other facilities is also on the anvil. The rest rooms will be improved and some new ones will be constructed

“The rest rooms will be fitted with state-of-the-art fittings. The interiors of the terminal will also be spruced up,” the spokesperson said.

The entire process is expected to be over in 2008. DIAL has also submitted the master plan to create a new terminal building (Terminal 3) near Terminal 2 along National Highway-8.

This integrated terminal catering to both domestic and international traffic will become operational in March 2010. In its first phase, it will cater to more than 35 million passengers annually. The new building will be connected to the city via a dedicated high-speed Metro railway line and a six-lane access road.

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