After a nine-month closure due to a roof collapse, Terminal-1 (T1) of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport reopened for passengers on Tuesday. The terminal, which had been shut down after a part of its canopy collapsed during heavy rains in June 2024, is now fully operational, according to airport authorities.
The reopening of T1 marks a significant shift in airport operations, as all flights that were previously operating from Terminal-2 (T2) will now be relocated to T1. This transition will pave the way for refurbishment work at T2, expected to take three to four months. T2 had been handling around 270-280 daily flights, serving over 46,000 passengers, primarily from Akasa Air and IndiGo. Starting April 15, all IndiGo flights operating from T2 will now move to T1, with the airline confirming that it will operate solely from T1 and T3 at IGI Airport.
The reopening of T1 also follows a tragic incident in June 2024 when part of the terminal’s canopy collapsed, leading to the death of a cab driver and injuries to eight people. Following the collapse, the area was sealed off for repairs, and demolition of the damaged canopy and metal columns began in July. Partial operations resumed in August, with gates 5 and 6 reopening. Now, with the full reopening, all six gates and the entire T1 building will be functional from Tuesday.
The newly expanded T1 has been designed to meet the growing demand for air travel. The terminal’s area has increased from 55,740 square meters to 206,950 square meters. The new terminal now integrates both arrivals and departures under one roof, unlike the previous setup that had separate buildings for each. The upgraded facilities include facial recognition (DIGIYATRA) at all entry points, 108 Common Usage Self-Service (CUSS) kiosks, 10 baggage reclaim carousels, and an enhanced baggage handling capacity of 6,000 bags per hour.
In addition to these technological upgrades, T1 now boasts expanded shopping and dining zones, quiet areas, a yoga space, prayer rooms, group seating with charging ports, self-medication rooms, and babycare facilities. The terminal has also been designed as a green building, utilizing natural lighting to enhance its environmental sustainability.
This upgrade is part of the Phase 3A development project at Delhi airport, which aims to enhance passenger experience and accommodate growing air travel demand. The improvements position Delhi airport as the only airport in India capable of handling over 100 million passengers annually. The upgraded T1 has a capacity of 40 million passengers per year, while T2 can handle 15 million, and T3 has a capacity of 45 million.
Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam stated that with T1 and T3 fully functional, Delhi airport is now equipped to handle all passenger traffic smoothly during T2’s closure. He assured that there would be no significant congestion as a result of these changes.
Sources By Agencies