Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) has announced plans to significantly expand the Indira Gandhi International Airport's (IGIA) annual passenger handling capacity from the current 106 million to 125 million under a proposed ten-year master plan extending till 2036. According to reports from PTI, the expansion will be implemented in phases, with the first phase targeting 116 million capacity by April 2030, followed by further expansion to 125 million by 2032. The current capacity is distributed across three terminals: 42 million at T1, 14 million at T2, and 50 million at T3.
As part of the expansion under the master plan, DIAL proposes to build Pier E at Terminal 3 (T3) with a capacity of 10 million by April 2030. Currently, T3 operates with domestic capacity of 19 million and international capacity of 31 million, served by four piers - Pier A and B for international operations, and Pier C and D for domestic operations. Pier C has been converted for international operations, while Pier E will be constructed to enhance the airport's transfer and aerobridge capabilities. A pier at an airport is a long and narrow structure or transfer facility from the main terminal building that allows passengers to use aerobridges to enter an aircraft.
The master plan includes provisions for future infrastructure development, including a 7.5-kilometre right of way earmarked for the Automated People Mover (APM) system. According to the source, while there are no immediate plans, the APM system will be designed to provide seamless connectivity between terminals. The earlier plan involved building an elevated cum at-grade system on the design, build, finance, operate and transfer model for passenger connectivity between T1 and the other terminals.
Delhi airport, operated by the GMR Group-led DIAL consortium, has demonstrated strong traffic growth with 6 million passengers in July, representing a 3.7% increase compared to the year-ago period. As reported by PTI, in the current financial year 2026-27 till July, the airport handled 26.4 million passengers. The master plan for 10 years till 2036 will be finalised after consultations with stakeholders, with no immediate decisions made regarding Terminal 4 construction or APM implementation. Depending on passenger traffic needs, conversion of T2 to T4 could be considered if more capacity is required.
