National Facilitation Committee reviews Terminal-3 at IGI Airport

M/s. Delhi International Airport Pvt. Ltd. (DIAL), a Joint Venture Company with Airports Authority of India (AAI), had been assigned the task of modernisation and upgradation of the IGI Airport Delhi. In the pursuance of this mandate, DIAL has built a new worldclass Integrated Terminal T-3. To monitor and review the progress activities of this project, the Government had set up the NFC which has since been closely and regularly overseeing all the activities leading to the establishment of the T-3 - sorting out several difficulties and complex issues encountered in the development process of this project. With the completion of T-3, which is now slated for inaugural by the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh on 3 July, 2010, the NFC has held its last meeting and visited the T-3 to see the facilities that have been created.

The Terminal-T3 has the following features:

· Integrated Terminal for both International and Domestic - with total capacity of 34 million per annum.

· Terminal has 8 levels, 28 mtrs above the ground level with built-up area of 5.5 million Sq.ft and APRON area of 6.3 million Sq.ft.

· Common Check-in concourse with 168 check-in counters and 24 remove check-in counters. Most modern 5 level in-line baggage system for faster processing. Separate screening of baggage at the entry of the terminal dispensed with, - Baggage screening will take place at the check-in counters.

· 98 immigration counters for international passengers

· 78 Aero bridges - the largest number of aero bridges for a single terminal anywhere in the world.

· All the facilities of International standard including 100 room transit hotel inside the terminal.

· Terminal built to provide the highest service level standards taking least possible time at every processing area viz. main entrance gates, check-in counters, baggage screening, immigration and security hold area giving a good experience to the passengers.

· Multi-level car parking - Largest car parking capacity in India with 4300 cars capacity with automated operations.

· Most modern Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC) alongwith Security Operations Control Centre (SOCC) is established in front of the terminal. All the facilities provided in AOCC and SOCC and some of the features have been introduced for the first time in India. The entire operations and security movements can be seen and controlled from AOCC/SOCC. SOCC will be under the control of CISF.

· Entire airport provided with 3000 CCTVs and 352 Screening machines with total computerized automation in the new terminal/airport area/

· 8 lane road connectivity with World class landscaping from the NH-8 to Terminal.

· DMRC underground station from New Delhi railway station via airport to Dwarka Sector-21 (taking 18 minutes from New Delhi railway station to new Terminal).

· Entire terminal is built in a record time of 37 months as against 60-72 months taken in different airports in the World - creating a global bench mark.

· Environment-friendly airport with measures like natural lighting facilities based on the green building concept in the terminal, complete recycling of water through 10 MLD capacity sewerage treatment plant with zero discharge, 310 rain harvesting pits to improve the ground water table.

· Airport village with a large number of food outlets as well as retail outlets opposite the terminal to take care of the large number of meeters and greeters.

· Number of retail F&B inside the Terminal with around 30 international brands along with high class duty free facilities.

· Adequate number of lounges to take care of various categories of passengers.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has been working very closely with DIAL and all the other stakeholders to ensure that this state-of-the-art facility comes up well in time for the Commonwealth Games. Trial runs for Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) had started from 1 April, 2010 and the airport will be fully ready for inauguration by 3 July, 2010.

At the meeting, the Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Shri M. Madhavan Nambiar briefed the NFC about the details of the airport and informed that as per the Airport Service Quality Rating, by which all international airports are rated, IGI Airport has moved to the 21st rank in 2010. In 2007, its rank was 101. Post the commissioning of T-3, the IGI Airport aims to be in the top 10.

Expressing happiness at the way the IGI Airport has come up, the Cabinet Secretary, Shri K. M. Chandrashekhar said that he along with the other Members of the NFC were "proud to have been associated with this venture. This Airport is an asset which India will cherish for years to come - something which India had lacked till now."

The airport which will be inaugurated on 3 July, 2010 will be opened for international commercial operations on 14 July, 2010 and for domestic operations from 31 July, 2010.

The NFC consisted of Foreign Secretary; Secretary, Department of Revenue; and Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation. Today's meeting was attended by the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Shri G.K. Pillai; Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Shri M. Madhavan Nambiar; Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Shri Sujit Banerjee; Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Shri Vijay Sharma; Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, Dr. M. Ramachandran; Chairman, National Highways Authority of India, Shri Brijeshwar Singh; Chairman, Railway Board, Shri Vivek Sahai; Principal Director General (M&C), Press Information Bureau, Smt. Neelam Kapur; senior officers of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Airports Authority of India (AAI), Intelligence Bureau, Delhi Government and DIAL.