Delhi airport’s new T1 to begin operations on Aug 17
The new T1 was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 10, but was not operationalised as agencies, including DIAL, were to carry out a series of trials before starting full-fledged operations
The newly constructed Terminal 1 (T1) building at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport is scheduled to begin operations from August 17, people aware of the matter said on Wednesday, adding that the new structure will help ease congestion at the other two terminals and facilitate smoother passenger movement.
“Delhi Airport is glad to announce the operationalisation of new Terminal 1 from August 17, 2024. The state-of-the-art Terminal 1 will significantly boost our capacity, easing pressure on Terminals 2 and 3. Passengers can expect a smoother travel experience with improved amenities and advanced technology,” said Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, the CEO of Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), which operates IGI airport.
Initially, domestic carrier SpiceJet will shift 13 flights to the new terminal, followed by IndiGo, which will move 34 flights there on September 2, DIAL officials said.
The Delhi airport ranks among the 10 busiest airports in the world, according to the Airports Council International (ACI), and it handled 72.21 million passengers in 2023.
The new T1 was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 10, but was not operationalised as agencies, including DIAL, were to carry out a series of trials before starting full-fledged operations.
Flight operations continued at the old T1 till June 28, when the building was closed after a part of its canopy collapsed during a heavy downpour, killing one person and injuring at least eight others. The closure of the terminal led to increased pressure on T2 and T3 as all flight operations were diverted there.
DIAL officials said that unlike the old T1 building, the new terminal integrates both arrivals and departures, and is more than twice the size of the previous building.
An airport official, on condition of anonymity, clarified that the two T1 buildings — they stand parallel to one another and were to be integrated into one common building before the June 28 incident — are still separate, and the collapsed portion is still cordoned off. “The collapsed T1 portion is inaccessible to flyers. The debris there has been cleared and further action, to repair it and/or when to open these gates, will be taken after an expert committee shares its findings,” the official said.
DIAL began constructing the new T1 building in 2019 as part of the Airport’s Master Plan 2016. The aim was to double T1’s existing annual capacity from 20 million passengers to 40 million passengers in order to keep up with the increasing footfall.
The airport operator said to manage queues, a new app “Queue-buster” for mobile check-ins has been introduced.
The other features at the new T1 include automated tray retrieval systems, individual carrier system, common usage self-service, aerobridges, and check-in counters with self-baggage drop kiosks. “The seamless journey is complemented by a myriad of offerings, including expanded baggage reclaim carousels, multiple entry gates, and enhanced shop and dine facilities,” said a DIAL spokesperson.
The capacity of the baggage handling system at the new T1 has also nearly doubled from 3,240 per hour to around 6,000 bags per hour.
Other than food outlets, the new T1 has a prayer room, a yoga space, dedicated quiet zones, adequate seating, multiple laptop and mobile charging stations, and baby-care rooms.
T1 is connected to the Delhi Metro via the Magenta Line, with buses run by the Delhi Transport Corporation taking passengers to T2 and T3.
DIAL on Wednesday said that the IGI airport has become the first Indian airport to achieve net zero carbon emissions (level 5 certification) under the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme by the Airport Council International (ACI) — a body that independently assesses and recognises airports’ efforts to manage and reduce their CO2 emissions.
The airport had initially set a target of achieving net zero emissions by 2030.
“With the attainment of Level 5 net zero emission accreditation in 2024, we have once again demonstrated our commitment to continual improvement and sustainability,” said Jaipuriar.