Delhi Airport's T2 conversion to all-international delayed till next April

The move by DIAL comes as an effort to prevent a repeat of the challenges faced during the previous winter, when crucial infrastructure underwent repairs for a significant portion

The proposed transformation of Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport’s Terminal 2 (T2) into an exclusively international terminal has been delayed until early next year, the Times of India reported on Monday.

The move by the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) is aimed at preventing a repeat of the previous winter, when crucial infrastructure, specifically the main CAT III runway (28/10), underwent repairs for a significant portion of the foggy season, thereby leading to long flight delays and passenger inconvenience. 

The conversion work for T2 is expected to begin around April next year, following the conclusion of the winter season, the report claimed. This plan expects T2 to be prepared to accommodate international flights by the winter of 2025-26.

Currently, the airport’s three terminals collectively manage nearly 70 million passengers each year. Under phase 3A of the expansion project, Terminal 1 is set to double its capacity from 20 million to 40 million passengers annually.

But international capacity is expected to become a crunch area as early as this fiscal. Only T3 handles international flights at the Delhi airport.

In order to manage the imminent shortage, DIAL had planned to transform T2 back into an international terminal last year, as it was initially intended when constructed in 1986, as a temporary solution. Following this, T2 would be torn down to pave the path for a completely new terminal.

Considering that T4’s completion is expected by 2030 or 2032, airlines have urged DIAL to consider allowing Terminal 1 to handle international flights as well.

They highlight the rapid increase in traffic since the GMR Group took over the airport in May 2006, necessitating the construction of a new T1 before the originally planned T3 to accommodate the surge in passengers.

Meanwhile, the expanded Terminal 1 is expected to commence operations by early June 2024, pending approval from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF). 

The initial plan was to maintain operations at T2 for a couple of months after the opening of Terminal 1 to address any initial issues. However, considering the potential delay in completing the conversion work, it was proposed to initiate the conversion of T2 around April to ensure minimal disruption for passengers, the TOI report said, citing sources.

Reportedly, the upcoming inauguration of Terminal 1 will significantly enhance IGI’s passenger handling capacity to over 100 million annually. 

Budget airlines IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa are expected to relocate their domestic operations to Terminal 1, which currently accommodates the domestic operations of low-cost carriers (LCCs) alongside Terminal 2. 

To address the capacity constraints, DIAL had planned to temporarily convert T2 into an international terminal last year, as it was originally planned in 1986. Subsequently, T2 was to be demolished to make room for a new terminal. 

DIAL CEO V K Jaipuriar had previously outlined options for meeting international demand, including re-converting T2 as a short-term solution, converting one of the two domestic piers at T3 into an international section as a medium-term option, and eventually demolishing T2 to construct a larger T4 with increased capacity.