DIAL, owned by GMR Airports, is evaluating the construction of a fifth pier — Pier E — at Terminal 3, which would be capable of handling 1.2 crore passengers annually, roughly equivalent to the current capacity of Terminal 2 (T2), the report said.
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Once the new pier becomes operational, all domestic traffic currently handled by T2 is expected to shift to T3’s Pier E, paving the way for T2’s eventual closure.
“T2 can be used for a maximum of six to seven more years, and then it will have to be abandoned,” GBS Raju, chairman of GMR Airports, told TOI. He added that the future use of the T2 site would depend on traffic growth and would be decided in the coming years.
The planned expansion forms part of a new master plan being prepared for Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. Key elements include the construction timeline for Pier E and the rollout of an automated people mover, or air train, expected to become operational within 30 months.
According to the report, DIAL is consulting airlines before finalising the timeline for Pier E, as carriers reassess fleet expansion plans amid aircraft delivery delays from both Airbus and Boeing due to ongoing global supply chain disruptions.The ongoing conflict in West Asia and elevated oil prices have also added uncertainty to aviation demand forecasts, prompting a cautious approach to long-term infrastructure planning.
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“The master plan will be aligned with airlines’ strategy. Due to the West Asia crisis, it is taking a little longer to finalise the plan,” Raju told TOI.
The proposed expansion would also require significant upgrades around T3, including widening access ramps and extending the forecourt area.
Following the recent conversion of Pier C from domestic to international operations, T3 now has three international piers with a combined capacity of 3.4 crore passengers annually, while its sole domestic Pier D can handle around 90 lakh passengers a year, the report added.