| New Delhi. Delhi
is on its way to getting a world class international airport.
The
modernization of the Indira Gandhi International Airport being carried out by
Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) is on schedule. In August, the Delhi
airport announced the opening of Asia’s longest runway after conducting a
successful test take-off and landing. Currently, work is on simultaneously
for the construction of a new domestic terminal, the modernization of the existing
international terminal, a world class integrated passenger terminal (Terminal
3) and a third runway for the airport. The 60m wide runway is among the
longest in Asia and consists of seven layers. Civil aviation minister Praful Patel
inaugurated the new runway along with other senior political leaders and the top
brass of the GMRled consortium that is in charge of the modernization of the IGI
airport. The new runway has nearly doubled the airport’s peak-hour
capacity from 35-40 aircraft landings and take-offs to about 75. The two
earlier operational parallel runways handle nearly 700 flights a day. Since
existing runways converge and are very close to each other, simultaneous use of
both runways was not possible. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)
stipulates that there has to be a distance of at least 1,035 metres between two
runways for simultaneous landing or takeoff. The shift to performance-based navigation
(PBN) from conventional navigation system leads to a lot of reduction in the distance
between two aircraft waiting to land at an airport thereby allowing faster takeoffs
and landings. PBN allows aircraft to take advantage of installed on-board
technology and break from the traditional, and a bit rigid, groundbased navigation
system. Upon transiting to performancebased navigation, aircraft will be
able to fly flexible, point-to-point routes accurately. Other by-products
of the introduction of PBN include lesser fuel burn and higher levels of safety. According
to sources, the ministry is also working on reducing the lateral displacement
of aircraft, which would help in increasing air space capacity and ease traffic
growth. “We have already reduced the vertical separation to 1,000 ftat a
flight level of 29,000 ft and above,” a civil aviation ministry source said. The
implementation of PBN is being done with the cooperation of the Airports Authority
of India, DGCA and the civil aviation ministry. While the AAI has formulated procedures
for RNAV arrival and departures for Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports, the
DGCA has laid down the minimum requirements for the aircraft and its crew to partake
in the PBN. The requirements are based on the PBN manual published by the ICAO. Work
on the Passenger Terminal Building (Terminal 3) has also started. T3 will be spread
over 480,000 m² and rival some of the best airports in the world. Most of
the excavation work for the PTB has already been carried out. Construction of
the four boarding piers has also commenced. Concrete reinforcement work for the
pier footings is under progress and the base for the first pier has been completed. The
piers will house 55 contact stands for aircraft. It is estimated that over 90%
of the passengers at T3 will be serviced through aerobridges. The project
is one of the largest of its kind in the country. With more than 5,000 workers,
involved in the construction work, the first phase itself would consume more than
54 Lakh Metric Tonnes (MT) of aggregate, 4.5 Lakh MT of cement and 90,000 MT of
steel. Around 1,000 trucks visit the site daily with the construction material
in addition to more than 200 excavators, pavers, dumpers, vibratory rollers and
cranes engaged in the construction activity. In addition to the construction
of the T3 and runway, work is fast progressing on the new domestic terminal as
well. This terminal will be ready in mid 2008 and cater to the fast growing passenger
traffic within the country. Major excavation work on the site has already been
carried out. The multi-level car parks are also fast progressing and work will
soon start on the expansion of the arrivals hall as well. The modernization
works of the international terminal (T2) is also on schedule. The revamped T2
will feature a whole new look with additional space being added for check-in,
immigration and customs desks. T2 will feature an advanced in-line baggage handling
system which will not only speed up check in process, but also make it much more
safe and secure. The modernization work for T2 will also be completed by mid-2008. New
Delhi, host of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, is also sprucing up infrastructure
to allow carriers like Emirates, British Airways and Air France to operate Airbus’s
flagship A380 on routes to the Indian capital. DIAL is a joint venture company;
comprising the GMR Group, Airports Authority of India, Fraport, Malaysian Airport
and India Development Fund. It is working towards the modernization and
restructuring of the Delhi Airport. The project being developed by DIAL under
Public Private Partnership has been given the mandate to finance, design, build,
operate and maintain the Delhi Airport for 30 years with an option to extend it
by another 30 years. GMR Infrastructure has also sent teams to West Asia
and South-East Asia to market the 45 acres on lease. | 
