Delhi Airport’s T3 to boost international capacity by 50% this winter

Indira Gandhi International Airport’s Terminal 3 is set for a major lift this winter, with one of its domestic piers being converted to international use, boosting its overseas passenger capacity by 50% to 3 crore from 2 crore annually, The Times of India (TOI) reported.

T3 currently operates with four piers, two for domestic traffic and two for international. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) has received all clearances to convert one domestic pier for international use, according to the report. The expansion work has already begun and is expected to finish by December.

“Clearances from four agencies were required to begin the work — Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), customs and CISF. Only the BCAS clearance was awaited. DIAL has started the preparatory work,” a source told TOI.

Pier C will continue domestic operations until Terminal 2 (T2), closed since April 15 for repairs, reopens next month. Domestic flights are scheduled to resume from T2, which has a capacity of 1.5 CPA, at the start of the winter schedule on October 26. Pier C will then undergo conversion in November before becoming T3’s third international pier in December.

DIAL CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar told TOI in February, “We are seeing almost 67,000-68,000 international travellers daily, which translates to about 2.4 crore foreign flyers annually. T3's international capacity is 2 CPA and it is handling 20% more than that. That's why one domestic pier at T3 is being converted to international. This process will take 4-5 months and take T3's international capacity to about 3.2 CPA.”

According to the report, the increased capacity is expected to meet demand for at least three years. DIAL also plans to build a new 1-CPA pier (E) at T3 by 2028, pushing international handling capacity to 4 crore passengers annually.

Runway 28/10 and T2 status

On the future of Terminal 2, a source told TOI, “Depending on the impact Noida has on IGIA footfall, it is likely that T2 will remain operational for another 3-5 years. Subsequently it will be demolished for constructing a bigger T4 in its place.”

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is scheduled to inspect IGIA’s main runway 28/10 this week. If cleared, it could be operational by next week. With the reopening of both the runway and T2, IGI will become the first Indian airport to operate at a capacity exceeding 10 CPA, with three terminals, four runways, and the ability to handle up to 86 flights per hour, TOI added.

The runway has been shut since April 8 for an Instrument Landing System (ILS) upgrade.