GMR Infrastructure subsidiary DIAL unveils Master Plan for Delhi Airport

GMR Infrastructure Ltd has announced that Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd (DIAL), a Public Private Partnership initiative mandated to operate, manage and develop the Delhi Airport, on December 06, 2006 unveiled its Master Plan to modernize the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi.

The Master Plan DIAL envisages the construction of a new integrated passenger terminal (Terminal 3) to cater to the both domestic and international traffic. This terminal will be ready before the Commonwealth Games in 2010. In its first phase, the airport would be capable of handling 37 million passengers per annum (mppa). The airport is being designed with an ultimate capacity of 100 million passengers per annum.

Terminal 3 would feature 55 contact stands (aerobridges) and 30 remote parking bays for passenger embarkation and disembarkation. It is targeted that 90% of all passenger traffic at T3 would be handled via aerobridges by 2010. 6 of these aerobridges would be compatible for the Airbus A380.

T3 would be a state of the art complex featuring Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) and an advanced in-line baggage handling system with CTX machines for greater efficiency and security. The check-in area would feature more than 130 check-in counters, Passengers would greatly benefit as check-in and security clearances would be faster and less obtrusive. For international passengers more than 70 desks would facilitate emigration procedures.

The two tier terminal building would feature the departure complex on the upper level and the arrivals on the lower level. The roof of the building will have stylized incisions to allow daylight but will be angled to protect the interior from direct sunlight. The effect would create a calm environment and maximize the sense of volume, space and light inside. The use of natural light would reduce the dependency on artificial light during day-time.

Passengers would also be able to avail a host of facilities like a wide variety of restaurants, shopping & duty-free complexes and a range of other leisure facilities. Business travelers would be able to utilize the most modern communication equipment at the business centre and relax or conduct meetings in the executive lounges. The airport would also have a hotel for passengers.

The arrival hall will feature wide-body baggage reclaim belts, 2 of which would be able to handle A380 sized aircraft. Passengers will emerge from Bag Reclaim into the Internal Landside Arrivals Concourse from where transit passengers would use elevators to proceed to the Departures level.

Access to the new terminal would be via a 6 lane road connecting to NH8. The Airport would also be connected via dedicated Metro line connecting to the city centre. This line is being part funded by DIAL.

Terminal 3 would form the first phase of the airport expansion in which a U shaped building would be developed in a modular manner. In 2010, all international and full service domestic carriers would operate from Terminal 3, while Terminal 1 would be developed as an exclusive terminal for low cost carriers. In subsequent stages, the low cost carriers would also move to the new terminal complex.

In the later phases another runway will be built and the existing secondary runway (09-27) would be realigned to form a fourth parallel runway to cater to the growth in passenger & air traffic. Based on demand, there is a provision to build a fourth runway as well in later stages.

However, several important milestones would be achieved by 2008. A new Code F runway, measuring 4430m in length and equipped with CAT IIIB ILS would be operational by 2008. This runway would be capable of handling next generation aircraft such as the A380. A new domestic terminal would also be operational with a capacity of 10mppa. The existing international terminal (Terminal 2) would also be modernized and upgraded by 2008. The cargo operations would continue at their present location and will be expanded. Subsequently, it will move to a new larger facility at another location.

According to Mr Srinivas Bommidala — Managing Director DIAL, "the Master Plan is the first step towards the realization of our dream — the dream to build an airport that showcases India to the world. The Delhi Airport would be not just be an airport — it will be an experience. An airport that India would be proud of."

The Master Plan was designed in consultation with Moff McDonald, a leading management, engineering and development consultancy and HOK, world renowned airport architects, based in the UK.

Source : Equity Bulls

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