Delhi Airport will get an Automated Passenger Mover (APM) to facilitate passenger movement between all terminals and reduce traffic congestion around the airport. The APM is expected to be operational by 2030 and will be installed with an investment of approximately Rs 3,500 crore. The APM is part of the airport’s ten-year master plan till 2036, and during this period, the overall annual passenger handling capacity is projected to rise to 125 million, which can even go up to 129 million.
What is APM?
The APM is a driverless transport system that transports passengers from one part of the airport to another. It is estimated that approximately 55,000 passengers will use it daily in the first year of its operation.
Pradeep Panicker, CEO of Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), said the proposed inter-terminal connectivity through APM is expected to be ready by 2030.
To connect all three terminals, metro stations
According to officials, the 7.3-kilometre-long Automated Passenger Mover will have six stations, and travel between Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 will take approximately 13 minutes. The system will connect Terminals 1, 2, and 3, as well as the cargo terminal and Aerocity. One station will also connect to the Delhi Metro line. Currently, Delhi Airport’s three terminals have a total annual passenger capacity of 106 million.
Under DIAL’s 10-year master plan, this capacity will be expanded to 125 million. It will have a capacity of 86 million domestic and 39 million international passengers. This capacity can also go up to 129 million. Currently, Terminal 1 has an annual passenger capacity of 42 million, Terminal 2 14 million, and Terminal 3 50 million. Terminal 3 has a capacity of 19 million domestic and 31 million international passengers.
Currently, passengers travel by road from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1
Currently, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 are close together, while Terminal 1 is a few kilometres away. Therefore, passengers arriving at Terminal 3 and boarding flights from Terminal 1 travel by road between the two terminals. DIAL is awaiting a decision from the relevant authorities on allowing passengers to transfer between Terminal 3 and Terminal 1 by bus within the airport’s restricted area.
No decision on charges for using APM
To a query on whether there will be charges for using the APM for non-flyers, Panicker said a decision is yet to be taken.
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