Delhi Airport: Much hated brown beige carpet set to go
The carpet at Delhi Airport's T3 terminal, which has been the pet peeve of most travelers, is set to go. The brown-beige colored carpet having random pattern had failed to impress travelers since the time it was placed in 2010. Some complained it was too thick for their trolley wheels making them drag their luggage, while many said it gave out a musty, uncomfortable smell.
Removal to start in Oct, to be replaced with hard-flooring
The carpet, spanning over 1, 70,000 sqmts, will be replaced by hard-flooring, as is seen in most international airports. The process of removing the carpet will be done in phased manner starting late October, said DIAL officials, adding it might get completed by end of this year. "We've proactively initiated the process. The hard-flooring will be in the passenger movement area along the piers."
All complaints ignored, until CleanFUEL India MD requested Jayant Sinha
The carpet, manufactured by the Pune branch of reputed UK-based carpet manufacturer Brintons, faced negative feedback even from security officials, who said their dog squad for bomb detection had difficulty moving around. However, all complaints were ignored, until MD of CleanFUEL India Autogas Suyash Gupta tweeted pleading MoS (Civil Aviation) Jayant Sinha to replace the carpet. Sinha then asked DIAL officials to 'follow up'.
"Have initiated design, implementation process for replacement of carpet"
Yesterday DIAL, replying Sinha and Gupta, informed that they "have initiated the design and implementation process for replacement of carpet with hard flooring." The 5.4 million sqft terminal was inaugurated in 2010 by the then PM Manmohan Singh. The carpet was in place at that time.
The carpet's fate: Took over 350 workers, 20 weaving-machines
Now let's talk about the carpet, as part of its farewell. It required more than 350 workers, 20 weaving machines and two years to produce 2,000 rolls of carpet, each weighing 400kgs. They were transported to Delhi in 100 containers, said Sreejith Pushpangadhan, project manager, Brintons Carpets Asia. Brintons have also manufactured carpets for airports in China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, Australia and UK.
