Congestion at IGIA may ease by June

Congestion at the IGI Airport is likely to ease by June end with new infrastructure, says DIAL at a meeting.

Congestion at the IGI Airport Delhi is likely to ease by June end with new infrastructure, including a terminal and parking places, coming up by then.

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This was conveyed by the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) at a meeting convened by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Monday.

"They informed us about the steps being taken to ease congestion. ... There is a difference between expanding an existing airport and building a greenfield one.

At the existing airports, various systems in place are disrupted due to the expansion work. That is what is happening " Ahluwalia told reporters after the hour-long meeting in which DIAL made a presentation on the works being carried out.
Ahluwalia said government would have to look into two areas -- the staffing of security as well as of immigration. "Government has to look into these areas. We will report back to the government."

He said "by June-end, there should be significant improvement and in the next six months, more steps will be taken. So, before the winter this year, the problem of congestion is likely to end."

DIAL Managing Director Kiran Kumar Grandhi said "we need manpower support for security and immigration as we are handling 24 million passengers (annually) compared with a capacity of 12 million."

Giving details, he said the DIAL was "making various improvements" including commissioning the third runway by August, six months before the schedule of February next year.