T1, T3 will be able to handle passenger traffic at Delhi airport: Official

Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam on Monday said Terminal 3, along with the fully operational Terminal 1, at the Delhi airport will be able to handle passenger traffic, emphasising that there is unlikely to be congestion due to the closure of Terminal 2 for maintenance works.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), operated by DIAL, has three terminals and four runways. It is also the country's largest and busiest airport.

T2 will be closed temporarily to carry out maintenance works from April 15, and one runway is already shut for maintenance works.

To a question on whether there could be congestion due to the closure of T2, the secretary said, "No, not really".

"T1 has now become fully operational... proper assessment has been done. So, T1 will cover whatever capacity is required.

"Between the T1 fully expanded and fully operational and T3, we should be able to meet the passenger requirements whatever is there," he told PTI Videos.

Effective April 15, IndiGo said its flights arriving to and departing from T2 will operate to/from T1.

IndiGo on Monday said it has taken proactive measures to ensure that customers are well-informed about the change in terminals.

"The airline is reaching out to all passengers and their respective travel agents through SMS, calls, and emails to notify them. IndiGo recommends retrieving PNR on the airline's website or mobile app to check departure/arrival terminal before heading to the airport," it said in a statement.

On January 10, DIAL said the four-decade-old T2 will be closed for four to six months in the next financial year for refurbishment works, which are expected to be completed in the September quarter.

Meanwhile, regarding efforts to resume direct flights between India and China, the secretary said the details will be worked out, and the requirements of the airlines need to be fully met.

"We would like (to) see the issues (to be) resolved and not focus on the time frame," he said.

Direct flights were operational between the two countries till early 2020 before getting suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Both Indian and Chinese carriers had direct services.

On January 27 this year, India and China, in principle, agreed to resume direct air services between the two countries as part of certain people-centric steps to "stabilise and rebuild" the bilateral ties.

The secretary said discussions for resuming direct flights have started.

"Our Ministry of External Affairs, with their counterpart, have reached an in-principle agreement to resume the direct flights. Now, the details will be worked out.

"(For) the carriers, who are involved from our side, I would like all the requirements to be fully met. And with the guidance of the Ministry of External Affairs, we will make it happen," he noted.