After years of delay, the government reportedly is moving to appoint a consultant for a long-pending infrastructure revamp aimed at easing travel between the airport’s far-apart terminals.
Sources quoted by ToI said that the Delhi government plans to commission a feasibility study and prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for two key interventions: a Y-shaped flyover and a widened tunnel under the runway. Both are expected to ease the bottlenecks plaguing the current commute, especially for transit flyers.
This renewed momentum follows a recent meeting between officials of Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) and Delhi’s Public Works Department (PWD) minister Parvesh Verma. Following the meeting, Verma dispatched a team to the site to inspect existing traffic and road conditions.
“Minister Verma assured us of action in terms of appointing a consultant for the twin project,” a source was quoted as saying by ToI.
What’s the project all about?
The plan involves a two-pronged strategy:A Y-shaped flyover that would connect the Northern Access Road (which links T1 with the rest of the airport) to two key arterial routes — one heading toward Dwarka and the other toward Dhaula Kuan and Vasant Vihar.Widening the existing tunnel under the runway — currently a six-lane (three in each direction) underground road that’s India’s only tunnel of its kind. The idea is to double it by adding a parallel six-lane passage, effectively making it a 12-lane tunnel.
These upgrades are considered vital because T1 alone now handles over 4 crore passengers a year, many of whom transfer to or from T3 — nearly 7 kilometres away. With the airport’s proposed “air train” project indefinitely delayed, the surface commute remains the only option for now.
Why now?
The bottlenecks at the NSG junction near Terminal 1 and on Indira Gandhi Road — both known for choked traffic — are only expected to worsen unless something is done urgently. A signal-free flyover could be a game changer, helping reduce delays and improving the overall airport experience.
Sources said the widening of the tunnel and the flyover are part of a Rs 300-350 crore project, which DIAL has pitched to both the Delhi and central governments. Since the roads in question are under the jurisdiction of PWD, the funding model being explored involves a 20:80 cost split between the Delhi government and the Centre, respectively.
“The project is proposed to be funded 20% by the state and 80% by Centre through its urban development fund. The request has been made, and both are seized of the issue,” a source told ToI.
While appointing a consultant is a step forward, actual execution may still take years, depending on bureaucratic approvals, funding clearances, and construction timelines. For now, however, the dust-covered plan is finally seeing some sunlight — and for transit passengers struggling with long, traffic-filled transfers between terminals, that’s at least a start.
(With inputs from ToI)
