IGI to witness major overhaul by July

NEW DELHI: The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) here is ready for a major overhaul by July this year providing air travellers with international quality services including a reduced time span for check-in and reclaiming luggage.

"Long queues and baggage reclamation will be a thing of past, as the number of check-in counters will be increased to 72 from present 32 and will come up in new domestic terminal building," an airport official said.

The new terminal is likely to become functional by June end, and later, most of the Low-Cost Carriers (LCC) will be operating from there.

The number of security channels will also be increased to 16 from present four, the official said.

Besides, the IGI airport will be the first airport in the country to have in-line baggage screening system for checking of baggage, which at present is done manually.

"These measures will not only make the movement of passengers easy but will also reduce their waiting time considerably," the official said.

In the recent years, the IGI has witnessed a rapid rise in passenger traffic.

The number of air travellers have doubled from 2003-04 leading to long queues at the baggage reclamation area at the arrival terminal.

To tackle this, the Delhi Airport International (P) Ltd responsible for modernisation of IGI, will not only expand it but also increase the number of reclamation belts -- where passengers collect their luggage -- from five to eight.