New Delhi: The Central government has revealed that Delhi Airport's new terminal and the fourth runway will be launched in September this year. Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal said on Thursday that the Indira Gandhi International Airport will become India's only airport to have four runways. The Delhi airport currently has three runways. However, to absorb the ever increasing pressure of passengers, a fourth terminal is being added. He said that the government is preparing better infrastructure for better connectivity.
The officer made these remarks at the EU-India Aviation Summit. The fourth runway will be 4400 metres long and 75 metres wide. It will be smaller than the third runway.
The fourth runway will cut down the time taken for the flights to take off and land.
The original deadline for the fourth runway was mid-2022. It is part of the government's plan to expand the Delhi airport.
DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited), a joint venture majority-owned by the GMR Group, had announced an investment of Rs 9,800 crore to upgrade the existing Terminal 1, build a fourth runway and for other development works to increase the airport's capacity to 100 million passengers a year from 66 million now.
The work was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Central government is also building a new airport in Jewar, near Noida. Called Noida International Airport, it will significantly ease pressure off the IGI Airport. The government is mulling to join the two airports via metro and other modes of transport. It will start in 2024.
With inputs from PTI
