Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport is set to raise its annual passenger handling capacity from 10.4 crore to more than 12.5 crore by early 2030, with a new international pier at Terminal 3 and limited internal upgrades at Terminal 1, according to details shared by Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL).
The expansion is expected to increase the airport’s international capacity by more than 50%. DIAL, backed by GMR Group, presented the proposed changes as part of its 10-year master plan during a stakeholder consultation held on August 16 at a hotel near the airport. The plan is being finalised and is scheduled to be submitted to the aviation ministry this month.
The principal addition will be International Pier E at Terminal 3. The pier is planned to provide capacity for 1.6 crore passengers annually, taking T3’s total capacity from 5 crore to 6.6 crore passengers. International capacity at the terminal will rise from 3 crore to 4.6 crore passengers a year, while domestic capacity will remain at 2 crore.
At present, Delhi airport’s total annual capacity is estimated at 10.4 crore passengers. Terminal 1, which is dedicated to domestic operations, accounts for 4 crore passengers annually. Terminal 2 has capacity for 1.4 crore, while Terminal 3 handles both domestic and international traffic and has capacity for 5 crore passengers.
DIAL plans to raise Terminal 1’s capacity to 4.5 crore passengers a year by adding check-in and security counters. The changes are expected to be carried out without structural modifications to the terminal. The proposed increase would provide an additional 50 lakh passengers of annual domestic capacity through internal operational changes.
Terminal 2 is expected to continue operating in its current form for several years. Under the longer-term plan, it could eventually be demolished to make way for a larger Terminal 4 sometime in the next decade. The timing will depend on passenger demand, according to the plan details reported by The Times of India.
The expansion plan is being framed against changes in the wider Delhi-NCR airport network. The region has recently gained a secondary airport in Greater Noida, but that facility is reported to be struggling to attract flights and passenger footfall while remaining in the shadow of IGI Airport. The continued expansion of IGI therefore keeps the Delhi airport at the centre of the region’s aviation capacity planning.
The aviation ministry will review DIAL’s master plan after it is submitted. The proposed international pier, the T1 capacity increase and the longer-term decision on Terminal 2 will consequently remain subject to the finalisation and approval of the plan.