Terminal 1A set to be razed

NEWDELHI: Delhi airport’s second oldest terminal T1A — constructed in 1982 to host international dignitaries who came to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and which later came to be known as the Airbus terminal because it was exclusively reserved for Air India — is all set to be demolished.

Terminal 1B was older than 1A and it was demolished five years ago. After T1A is razed, T2 will become the oldest terminal building at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. T2 is also scheduled to be demolished after three years. As part of the Delhi airport’s expansion drive, 1A, which is lying unused since 2010, will be demolished first.

Air India had shifted to this ter- minal in 1988 and had been using it for handling its Airbus operations. The national carrier had a 22-year-old association with 1A.

The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the airport operator, had planned to use the terminal for Haj operations and for charter planes but it never materialised.

“As part of the proposed expansion work, work on demolishing 1A will begin in the next fortnight. We have almost completed barricading and associated preparatory works,” said a spokesperson for DIAL.

After the 1982 event, the terminal wasn’t used till 1988.

“Suddenly, there was an increase in domestic passenger traffic and the Airports Authority of India decided to give T1A to Air India and its Airbus flights were shifted here. The terminal was used exclusively by Air India. Later, Go Air and a few smaller airlines were shifted there,” said an Air India official, who had worked at this terminal.

DIAL has issued expressions of interest for the Delhi airport’s expansion and received responses from a number of contractors.

Since T1 is operating beyond its capacity, the expansion will begin from there and cover the airside, terminal building and the city side.

The master plan will be implemented in three modular phases — phase 3A (2018-21), 3 B (2021-25) and Phase 4 (2026 onwards).

According to the proposal, departure Terminal 1D and arrival Terminal 1 C will be merged and expanded to accommodate 40 million passengers per annum.