Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport plans to commission an Automated People Mover (APM) by 2030, with an estimated investment of Rs. 35 bn. The project is part of the airport’s 10-year master plan to improve connectivity and expand passenger-handling capacity. Officials outlined the plans during a briefing in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Operated by Delhi International Airport (DIAL), the airport’s proposed APM will connect T1, T2 and T3, as well as the cargo terminal, Aerocity and Delhi Metro through six stations. The driverless transit system will cover 7.3 km, with travel between T1 and T3 expected to take about 13 minutes. It is projected to handle 55,000 passengers a day during its opening year.

T1 is several kilometres from T2 and T3, meaning passengers transferring between the terminals currently have to travel by road. The APM is intended to reduce congestion around the airport and shorten transfer times. DIAL is also awaiting regulatory approval to transfer passengers airside between T3 and T1 by bus.

The project forms part of a master plan running until 2036, under which the airport’s annual passenger-handling capacity is expected to increase from 106 mn to 125 mn, with the potential to reach 129 mn. The planned capacity includes 86 mn domestic passengers and 39 mn international passengers. Current capacity is 42 mn at T1, 14 mn at T2 and 50 mn at T3.

T3 currently has capacity for 19 mn domestic and 31 mn international passengers. Its international operations use Piers A and B, while domestic operations are handled through Pier D and other designated facilities; Pier C has been converted for international use. A new Pier E is scheduled for completion by April 2030. Design work and other preparations for the APM are in progress, while a decision on whether non-flyers will be charged to use the system is pending.