New Terminal 1D at Delhi’s IGI Airport

IGI’s new domestic terminal dubbed T1D is all set to start operating on April 14. Designed by the prolific architect Hafeez Contractor, the new terminal has almost double the space of the 70 year old terminal 1B. Once Terminal 3 is thrown open in April 2010, T1D will cater solely to Low Cost Carriers. The terminal has 8 entry gates, 72 check-in counters and 16 security channels. Apart from those, the spanking new terminal will have a retail bazaar, a smoking room, a baby care room, wi-fi services, kids playing area and an entertainment zone among other things.

Some stats from an article in TOI:

The Terminal was “inaugurated” on the 26th of February by the Civil Aviation Minister – Praful Patel. Since then extensive trials of all systems and processes have been conducted so that there will be minimal problems once the terminal is thrown open to the public. The trials included 10,000 mock passengers through 400 simulated flights. Over 30,000 bags were screened, some of which also contained suspicious or banned articles to test the efficiency of the in-line baggage handling system.

Airlines will start to operate at the new terminal in 2 phases to ensure a smooth transition. In the first phase Jet Airways and JetLite will move while in the second, Kingfisher airlines and Indigo airlines will move.  Air India, GoAir, Jagson airlines and MDLR airlines will however continue to operate from the old T1A.

DIAL has taken help from Munich airport to implement the ORAT (Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer) programme to ensure seamless shifting of operations from T1B to T1D.

Now for some images that you all have been waiting for!  Most of them were taken on February 26th.

Render:

Images copyright Hafeez Contractor:

Images Copyright Economic Times

Image Copyright TOI

Images Copyright AFP/Getty Images.

Image copyright CompuMess.eu (is weer thuis)

Images copyright Vt-ala

Approach flyover u/c
Copyright India Sun

Videos:
CNN-IBN: IGI gets new terminal, 3000 passenger capacity
DIAL Website: T1D inauguration

In other news, DIAL has awarded the contracts for the development of hotels in the hospitality district of the airport. The hotels will be mix of a five-star, four-star and three-star hotels. The successful bidders are – Accor, InterGlobe hotels, Lemon Tree, Bird Group and Hyatt (saraf hotels).

For latest info, news and pics, check out the Delhi Airport Updates thread at SSC.

Cheers
IU