The days of shuttling between distant terminals at Delhi airport on DTC buses are numbered. Delhi International Airport Ltd is forging ahead with an air train system concept, at least for India Indira Gandhi International Airport, with full support from its strategic French partner, Aeroports de Paris-Groupe ADP.
It is designed to revolutionize the passenger experience at one of the busiest airports in the world, making terminal-to-terminal travel quicker, more efficient, and stress-free.
What is an Air Train?
An air train—Sky Train, as most international airports call it—is supported by an Automated People Mover system or APM. An APM is designed to reduce transfer times, making transfers easier, especially for passengers with connecting flights.
The proposed air train for Delhi will run over 7.7 kilometers with four key stops: Terminal 2/3, Terminal 1, Aerocity, and Cargo City. According to a tender document quoted by the Times of India, it would ensure not only better connectivity between terminals but also higher passenger satisfaction and a reduced carbon footprint at the airport.
Currently, Delhi Airport is India’s busiest airport, handling more than 70 million passengers a year. It will be further expanded to reach 130 million in the next six to eight years. Considering 25 percent of passengers are only in transit, the air train itself would come in very handy and would be important in an efficient terminal transfer as passenger traffic keeps piling up.
Timeline for Completion
Sources state that the bids for the air train project will be invited in October-November. The bids would be evaluated on cost and the revenue-sharing model or viability gap funding proposed for the project. If everything goes well, then a contract can be awarded within this fiscal year and the construction can be targeted to finish by the end of 2027.
There is also a consideration for yet another route option, which would cover 8 kilometers with six stations and stops in Aerocity, partially paid for by the passengers. But this route has the concern of longer travel time and security challenges, according to the officials.
Cost of the Project
The estimated cost of the air train project is close to ₹3,500 crores, and the central government has asked DIAL’s Singapore-based consultant GMR to fund the venture without charging passengers any development fees. In most major airports, air trains are free of cost to offer hassle-free transfers between terminals. Revenues from upgrading airport infrastructure are usually recovered through aeronautical charges, and UDF levied on passengers.
To illustrate this more clearly, Mumbai Airport included a metro component in its UDFs: ₹20 for domestic and ₹120 for international departures from 2016 until 2023, when the component was removed after the target sum collected for the metro connectivity became adequate.
As the plans materialize, the air train system will greatly enhance the passenger experience at Delhi Airport, bringing great convenience and efficiency to travel.
