Delhi airport's T2 to be renovated, flights to shift
What's the story
Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) is gearing up for a major revamp of its Terminal 2 (T2) starting April 2025.
The project, which will be undertaken by GMR Airports Limited's subsidiary Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), is expected to take around six months.
T2, which was built in the 1980s and currently handles domestic flights, is IGIA's oldest terminal among the three.
Upgrade details
Renovation aims to enhance passenger experience
The renovation is targeted at modernizing T2 to handle rising passenger numbers and improve their travel experience.
The upgraded features will include India's first passenger boarding bridges with autonomous docking technology.
New ceilings and skylight designs for natural lighting are also part of the plan.
The terminal will also witness improved road connectivity, ventilation, air conditioning, heating, and fire safety systems.
Operational shift
Flight operations to shift during renovation
During the renovation period, all flight operations currently operating from the 40-year-old T2 will be shifted to the newly developed Terminal 1 (T1).
This includes IndiGo's 829 weekly departures and arrivals and Akasa Air's 105 weekly departures and arrivals.
The move will likely affect IndiGo the most as it has a wider network from T2.
Strategic move
Renovation part of DIAL's strategy for IGIA
The renovation comes as a strategic move by DIAL to make IGIA a leading hub for domestic and international travel.
The refurbished T2 will reopen in the second quarter of FY 2025-26, in line with DIAL's vision of improving IGIA's infrastructure as domestic passenger traffic is expected to reach maximum capacity by that fiscal year.
Expansion plans
Future plans for dedicated international terminal
Along with T2 renovation, IGIA is also eyeing future plans for a dedicated Terminal 4 (T4) which would only handle international flights.
This appears to be an interim plan until the airport finalizes the modalities of having T4 replace T2. After that, international flights will only operate from there.
The airport is already seeking a people mover to connect the far-off terminals.