TBM Staff - Mumbai Delhi Airport’s plan to transform Terminal 2 (T2) into an exclusive international terminal has hit a snag, with the conversion now pushed back to early next year.
This decision, reported by the Times of India, comes after repairs on critical infrastructure during the previous winter season led to extensive flight delays and passenger inconvenience.
The delay strategy aims to ensure minimal disruption for travellers, with the conversion work expected to commence around April next year. The revised timeline targets T2 to be fully operational for international flights by the winter of 2025-26.
With international capacity becoming a pressing concern, airlines have appealed to Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) to consider allowing Terminal 1 to handle international flights. The completion of Terminal 4, expected by 2030 or 2032, prompts discussions on optimizing existing terminals to meet escalating passenger demands.
The imminent inauguration of the expanded Terminal 1 promises a significant boost to IGI’s passenger handling capacity, expected to surpass 100 million annually. Budget carriers like IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa are slated to relocate their domestic operations to Terminal 1, further easing capacity constraints.
V K Jaipuriar, CEO, DIAL, has presented several options to address international demand, including short-term re-conversion of T2, medium-term conversion of a domestic pier at T3 into an international section, and eventual demolition of T2 to make way for a larger Terminal 4. These proactive measures underscore efforts to manage the surging passenger traffic and enhance operational efficiency at Delhi Airport.
