GMR-led Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) has detailed a ten-year master plan that will see a new Pier E added to Terminal 3, increasing Indira Gandhi International Airport’s annual international handling capacity from 30 million to 46 million passengers by early 2030. The Times of India broke the story on 5 October, noting that the ₹2,000-crore project will also add road-infrastructure upgrades and an air-side shuttle system between terminals. The expansion comes as IGI remains India’s primary long-haul hub, with over 70 foreign airlines and most corporate flyers transiting through Delhi for connections to Europe and North America. Mobility managers have long complained about peak-hour congestion at immigration and security; Pier E will provide additional contact gates and processing counters to relieve bottlenecks and support larger wide-body fleets. DIAL says it has already consulted the civil-aviation ministry and expects formal approval by March 2027, with construction to span three years. The design includes upgraded e-gates capable of processing the next generation of Indian e-passports and Automated Border Control kiosks compatible with multiple biometric standards—technologies that should cut average queuing time by 40 % based on pilot data. For businesses, the project signals continued improvement in India’s gateway infrastructure, complementing capacity additions at Bengaluru’s Terminal 2 and the upcoming Noida International Airport. Companies running tight executive itineraries through Delhi should plan for intermittent construction-related rerouting but can look forward to smoother transit once Pier E is operational. Travel-policy teams may also wish to re-evaluate Delhi versus alternative hubs for large-scale meetings as capacity improves. Observers note that the upgrade aligns with the government’s target of handling 600 million air passengers nationwide by 2030 and positions Delhi to capture a larger share of sixth-freedom traffic currently routed via Gulf hubs.
Source: The Times of India
