PM likely to open revamped T1 at Delhi’s IGI airport this month
The terminal, which will be two-and-a-half times larger than the old T1, will initially begin operations with IndiGo and SpiceJet flights, officials said
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate Delhi airport’s Terminal 1, likely by February 25, two officials close to the development said, adding that the upgraded facility will bring in a slew of new convenience features for flyers and make departures and arrival quicker.
The terminal, which will be two-and-a-half times larger than the old T1, will initially begin operations with IndiGo and SpiceJet flights, one of these people said.
“The revamped terminal 1 is all set to be made operational and is awaiting to be inaugurated by PM Modi. The terminal will be inaugurated around February 25,” an official close to the development said, asking not to be named.
Work at T1 has been underway in segments, with portions shut since 2019, to bring both T1C and T1D – previously separate sections for arrivals and departures --- under one roof.
The expansion plan, officials said, focuses on passenger convenience and will include all aerobridges (referred as smart apron by the airport operator), which will enable flyers to walk to or back from the aircraft, as they do at Terminal 3 at present where planes directly dock with these bridges.
The old T1 did not have aerobridges, requiring passengers to take a bus to reach the plane or arrive at the terminal after landing, which took an additional 15 minutes.
“Passengers will now be able to directly de-board the aircraft and proceed towards his/ her destination if they have no check-in luggage,” one of the officials mentioned above said.
In addition to the aerobridges, the terminal will also have self-baggage drop facilities and kiosks for self check-in.
“The self baggage drop service allows passengers to check-in their baggage at the airport themselves. This facility however, will be available for flights of particular airlines. Passengers will need their boarding passes to use this service,” an airport official said.
The terminal will have 108 Common Use Self-Service (CUSS) check-in kiosks, which will allow people to access check-in features of several airlines from one device.
A second official said that the focus is also on quicker and safer aircraft movement, with the terminal now adding a Visual Docking Guidance System (VDGS).
A VDGS provide pilots with guidance to safely and correctly position aircraft at a parking stand.
“The existing aircraft parking stands at the Terminal 1 apron are not fitted with VDGS units; marshals manually guide pilots to specified aircraft stop positions,” a second official said.
Additionally, a new baggage handling system will also help speed up delivery of people’s items. “A new technology for baggage handling system (Individual Carrier System) that is more reliable in the sense that it avoids interfaces or transitions that could compromise 100% bag tracking, has been introduced in T1. This technology is being used by busy airports across the globe especially in Europe,” the official said.
This system eliminates bag jams and system stoppages and has the ability to transport all shapes of baggage as well as oversized bags, reducing manual handling of baggage, the official added.
Talking about passenger amenities, the second official said that the terminal will also have charging points at every seat in the boarding area.
“It was observed that the charging stations at terminals are occupied by some passengers while the rest wait to charge their electronic gadgets before departure. Hence, all seats have been given an exclusive plug point,” the official said.
Washrooms also have been equipped with smart features, including visual indicators for when stalls are occupied. “Washrooms if not cleaned will also be indicated in order to avoid any rush near the washroom area,” the official said.
Other facilities in the terminal include more space for parking, increasing the pick-up arrival lanes, and additional baggage carousels.
Once T1 is inaugurated, Terminal 2 (T2) is likely to be temporarily converted into a concourse for short-haul international flights, and may be closed for three to six months later this year, to prepare for the transition.
The conversion is expected to increase passenger capacity by 8-9 million, taking care of the requirement for the next three to four years.