Upcoming terminal at IGI to be disabled friendly

Delhi airport’s upcoming integrated Terminal 3 will offer barrier-free movement to all passengers, including those with special needs and reduced mobility, reports Sidhartha Roy.

Delhi airport’s upcoming integrated Terminal 3 will offer barrier-free movement to all passengers, including those with special needs and reduced mobility.

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The new terminal, which will cater to both international and domestic flights, is expected to open by July 2010.

The private airport operator Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL) said while many measures were taken at the existing terminals to make them disabled friendly, the upcoming terminal would be much better.

“The design of the terminal has been made keeping in mind these requirements that are reflected in the way the flow of passengers is laid out,” said a DIAL spokesman. “The terminal itself is barrier-free and in fact there are no level changes at all for passengers flying out of Delhi.”

“Most Indian airports have provisions for the disabled but not of the right standards. At some airports such as Port Blair, special toilets meant for the disabled are kept locked,” said Anjali Agarwal of Samarthya, an NGO that promotes a barrier-free environment for disabled people “Delhi Airport is much better, compared to some other airports but some issues like slippery floors and lack of signages could be looked into.”

DIAL said that the upcoming terminal would not leave any room for complaints.

“Specially marked drop-off points along with tactile strips will guide passengers from the drop off area to the terminal,” the spokesman said.

“There will be help phones for passengers to contact the DIAL help desk. At this help desk, passengers can contact their respective airline for a reserved wheelchair service.”

“There will up to 50 toilets throughout the Terminal building for passengers with special needs,” he said.

“The departure drop-off area, the check-in area, security clearance and immigration zones along with the gate hold areas are laid on a single level and there will be no obstruction to the flow of passengers,” he said.

“From the gate hold area to the passenger boarding bridges to the aircraft, access is via gently sloped ramps designed to keep the comfort of passengers, including those with reduced mobility in mind.”