New Delhi: Airport operator Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on Friday announced that Pier C at Indira Gandhi International Airport’s Terminal 3 will begin international operations from the first week of May.DIAL said Pier C has been repurposed from domestic to international use through careful planning, seamless integration with the existing terminal infrastructure without requiring new construction.With this conversion, Delhi airport’s international passenger handling capacity will increase by around 50%, adding 10 million passengers per annum (MPPA). This will take Terminal 3’s total international capacity to 30–32 MPPA, positioning the airport to cater to growing international traffic in the coming years, DIAL said.The airport has also introduced upgrades to improve departure and arrival efficiency and reduce waiting times at key touchpoints. These include 12 new self-baggage drop counters, 20 emigration counters, five Automatic Tray Retrieval System lanes, dual-view X-BIS machines for faster security screening, 16 boarding gates converted for international operations, 40 additional Bureau of Immigration counters in arrivals, and three new escalators and four lifts to facilitate passenger movement.DIAL CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said, “This conversion strengthens Delhi airport’s ability to support long-haul connectivity, airlines’ expansion plans and India’s ambition to become a global aviation hub.”
