Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted the virtual inauguration of the Delhi airport’s expanded Terminal 1 (T1). With its capacity now reaching 40 million, the terminal has tripled in size, covering a total area of 206,950 square metres. This significant expansion positions Delhi airport among the league of airports capable of handling 100 million passengers annually.
Equipped with advanced technology, the expanded Terminal 1 features Facial Recognition System (Digi Yatra), 20 Automated Tray Retrieval Systems (ATRS), Individual Carrier System (ICS), 108 Common Usage Self Service (CUSS) kiosks and 100 check-in counters, including 36 Self Baggage Drop (SBD) kiosks, as reported by airport operator DIAL.
Delhi Airport’s capacity
The expansion of Terminal 1 enables the Delhi airport, managed by Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), to enhance its annual passenger handling capacity to 100 million, up from 17 million previously.
Currently comprising three terminals—T1, T2, and T3—the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) manages approximately 1,500 flight movements daily, with respective capacities of 40 million, 15 million, and 45 million for T1, T2, and T3. Ahead of Modi’s virtual inauguration of the expanded Terminal 1, Minister of State for Civil Aviation VK Singh and Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena addressed a gathering at the airport, highlighting the inauguration of 15 projects, which collectively elevate the total number of airports in the country to more than 160.
Singh noted that a decade ago, the country had only 74 airports, a number that has now more than doubled under the leadership of the NDA government since 2014. Modi’s recent activities included inaugurating 12 new terminal buildings at various airports and laying the foundation stone for three more, further expanding India’s aviation infrastructure.
(With inputs from PTI)