IGIA to have dedicated terminal for private jets by October

By Rohit Vaid

New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS) The national capital's Indira Gandhi International Airport will soon have a fixed-base operator (FBO) terminal for private jet and charter flight services by October 2019.

These types of facilities aid in the expansion of general aviation services at busy airports around the world as they provide designated terminal for users of private jets and charter flights.

Besides, the company mandated to operate and manage the IGIA -- GMR Group's Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) -- is also conducting feasibility studies for an 'automated people mover' (APM) in the airport complex.

The APM project envisages a short distance travel system that could be a driverless monorail which takes passengers from one terminal to another and also connects them to other modes of transportation.

Many large international airport complexes have such a facility, which makes it easier for passengers to catch connecting flights from different terminals.

"We are currently conducting feasibility studies to have an 'automated people mover' installed at the airport complex," GMR Group Deputy Managing Director I. Prabhakara Rao told IANS.

"We are looking at all types of technologies that are best suited for our needs... However, nothing is finalised as of now."

On the new FBO terminal, Rao said that the project has been "concessioned-out and that the concessionary" would be ready with the facility by October this year.

Additionally, the next phase of expansion at the IGIA has been launched. It will enable IGIA in the next three years to have a terminal capacity of around 100 million passengers a year.

The Rs 9,800-crore expansion plan also envisions an enhanced air-side capacity to handle around 140 million passengers.

The project under Phase 3A is expected to be ready by June 2022. The new air-side infrastructure, such as the fourth runway and dual elevated eastern cross taxiways, will be constructed in this phase.

Another key feature of the plan is the new integrated Terminal 1 with 40 million passenger handling capacity. The integrated terminal will have several passenger-friendly facilities, such as facial recognition system and aero bridges.

The plan also includes a new pier building, to be built as an extension of the merged terminals, with aero-bridges and bus gates.

As per the plan, the international transfer area of Terminal 3 (T3) is set to be increased.

Apart from physical infrastructure, the baggage handling system at T3 is also being upgraded.

On the city-side, a flyover at Aerocity metro station junction would be constructed to reduce travel time from T1 to T3.

(Rohit Vaid can be contacted at rohit.v@ians.in)