Feb 10, 2017: Delhi International Airport (Pvt) Ltd (DIAL) is seeking environmental clearance to start working on its ambitious expansion plan of laying a fourth runway , expand existing terminals, construct a new one and build supporting infrastructure. According to sources, these plans are likely to cost about Rs 16,000 crore.
The airport operator has, however, not revealed the source of funding and it remains to be seen whether it will mean higher user charges for flyers. The proposal has been cleared by the aviation ministry -for IGI Airport.
It is now learnt that the GMR-backed consortium plans to construct the fourth runway and expand the bursting-at-the-seams T1 by 2020 under 'Phase 3a' which will increase IGIA's passenger handling capacity to 7.5 crore passengers annually .
This phase will soon see the mothballed T2 being used for budget domestic flights by shifting one or two of the lowcost carriers that currently operate from T1.
This airstrip will run parallel to the airport's newest runway (29) and be of the same length at 4,430 metres.
DIAL plans to have the fourth runway ready in time for the expansion of T1's annual passenger handling capacity from the current 18 million to 30 million in four years.