Delhi airport to cross 70m passenger traffic in fiscal 24

New Delhi: The Delhi IGI airport will cross the pre-pandemic passenger traffic level at more than 70 million this fiscal and expects to complete the expansion of Terminal 1 by the end of February next year that will increase the domestic air passenger handling capacity by 23 million, a top official said on Nov 24.

In an interview, airport operator DIAL’s CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar also said that Terminal 2 (T2) will be converted into an international terminal for a short term.

Currently, T2 is for domestic flights and has a passenger handling capacity of 15 million.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital is the country’s largest airport and is operated by the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL).

Currently, the airport has three terminals — T1, T2 and T3 — and depending on traffic trends, the operator will take a decision on having T4. At present, only T3 has international operations.

Jaipuriar said there is a good revival of passenger traffic.

“This (financial) year, we are going to end up (with) higher than pre-Covid (passenger traffic level). We had a maximum of 69.3 million passengers during pre-Covid. Last (financial) year, we did 65.3 million and this financial year, we will cross 70 million,” he said.

Of the total, over 52 million will be domestic passengers and around 18 million will be international passengers.

DIAL will also revisit its master plan for the airport that was prepared in 2016 and the current capacity levels are based on that plan.

The expansion of T1 is likely to get completed by February end next year. Once it is complete, the terminal’s passenger handling capacity will increase from 17 million to 40 million, Jaipuriar said.

-B