Delhi got a spanking new world-class Rs 9,000 crore airport that will integrate domestic and international operations and is expected to handle 34 million passengers annually. The integrated T-3 Terminal of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi was  inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh on 2nd July,2010.

The new terminal or Terminal 3 (T3), said to be the sixth largest in the world, was on Saturday inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who said the Indian aviation sector has the potential to observe upto USD 120 billion of investment by 2020.


T3 built by GMR group backed developer Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL). It is Spread over 4 kms, 80 per cent of T3 is made of glass and supported by metal frames. The nine level terminal building would be used for 90 per cent of the entire passenger movement in the airport. Comfortable lounges, nap and shower rooms will add to passenger comfort in the airport which will have a mix of restaurants, bars, cafes and fast food outlets in around 20,000 sq mt of commercial space.

Besides three functional runways, the T3 would have, among other things, 168 check-in counters, 78 aerobridges (more than 64 in Singapore), 97 travelators and a multi-level air-conditioned car park to accommodate 4,300 cars, both first inIndia.

The aviation sector is a vital to India’s sustained economic growth. It plays a major role in generating tourist flow, accelerating industrial development, creating new jobs and integrating our country. In a span of a few years, India has become the 9th largest aviation market in the world. We now have 10 scheduled airlines operating in our country, compared to 2 in 1990. In the same period, the scheduled aircraft deployed by the Indian carriers has gone up four times, from 100 to about 400. It is estimated that India’s aviation sector has the potential to absorb up to US$ 120 billion of investment by the year 2020. Analysts predict that domestic traffic can reach 160 to 180 million and international traffic in excess of 50 million by the year 2020. India also occupies an important geographical place in the air route structure of the world. Many key international air traffic services cross the air space in which India is responsible for providing air traffic services. Hub traffic out of Delhi and Mumbai will increase particularly in the coming years.


An airport is often the first introduction to a country. A good airport would signal the arrival of new India, committed to join the ranks of modern, industrialized nations of the world. We should have airports that are receptive to the comfort of passengers even as they meet the highest standards of efficiency and safety. They should employ the most modern of technologies but also exude cultural warmth.

It is a need to create safe, secure, efficient and environment friendly systems conducive to healthy growth of our civil aviation sector. Our regulatory and policy framework also needs to be aligned with the needs of the civil aviation industry to encourage serious investment in this vital sector..

Mumbai, Indian financial capital, needs to have a second airport fast as the current airport is coming to a saturation point.

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