NEW DELHI: As air passengers continue to face nightmares in terminal-3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (New Delhi), airport operator Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) and the aviation ministry on Monday implemented a series of action plans to reduce congestion.
The fresh measures include increasing the number of X-ray screening systems, reducing peak hour (5 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 8 pm) flight departures and deploying additional manpower. The latest action plan follows civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia’s visit on Monday morning to inspect the arrangements at the Terminal.
IGIA, the country’s largest airport, has three terminals -- T1, T2 and T3. All international flights and some domestic services operate from T3. On average, it handles around 1.9 lakh passengers and about 1,200 flights daily.
According to officials, at T3 domestic, additional ATRS (Automatic Tray Retrieval System) machines for baggage check will be deployed. Before the covid-19 pandemic, there were 13 ATRS machines installed on the ground.
This number, which has been increased to 16 in the last few days, will be increased further to 17 soon, and subsequently to 20.
Among other steps, all airlines will be required to keep their counters completely manned, especially during peak hours. According to officials, digital display boards showing waiting time at each entry gate and at least one waiting time board at the terminal checkpoint will be put in place.
Scindia said he has given instructions to regulate the movement of passengers afresh at the gate where there is a surge in the crowd and to deploy special officers at every gate.
“We have given instructions to increase the security line from 13 to 16. By the end of this month, we will try to start three new lines,” the minister said. Passengers have been complaining about long waiting hours and poor management at the airport for the past many days.
In a few instances, a few passengers missed their flights as it took them hours to clear all the checkpoints. The congestion has been attributed to fewer active counters, limited security staff and a surge in passenger movement in the ongoing travel season. Not only Delhi’s T3, but Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is also facing a huge rush as the Adani Group Operated airport catered to 150, 988 passengers on 10th December 2022, the highest single-day record this year.
Air Traffic Breaches Pre-Covid Level
Dec 11: Domestic passenger departure: 4,27,517
international passenger departure 89,818
Mumbai Airport catered to record 1.5 L traffic on Dec 10
Delhi Airport handles 1.9L passengers a day