The current 6-lane tunnel road, with three lanes for each direction, will be expanded with a new 6-lane underpass. The Y-shaped flyover will connect the Northern Access Road to Dwarka, Dhaula Kuan, and Vasant Vihar, addressing congestion at the NSG junction.

With Terminal 1 set to handle 40 million passengers annually this summer, transit traffic is expected to rise significantly. To meet the growing demand, DIAL also plans to widen the Northern Access Road linking the terminals.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 3-3.5 billion (approximately $36-42 million). DIAL has sought funding support from the Delhi and central governments, proposing a cost-sharing model with 20% from the state and 80% from the Centre.

“These proposals are critical for improving connectivity to IGIA,” noted a letter from the Lieutenant Governor’s office to the Delhi government in August 2023, urging action on the project.

IGIA, one of the world’s busiest airports, handled 80 million passengers in 2024, with future capacity projected to reach 140 million annually. The airport’s expansion plans include replacing Terminal 2 with a larger Terminal 4.

To ensure congestion-free connectivity, DIAL appointed Japanese consultancy Nippon Koei, which recommended the flyover and tunnel expansion as top priorities.

An automated people mover (APM), initially delayed due to Covid-19, is also in the pipeline. Designed to link T3/2, T1, Aerocity, and Cargo City over a 7.7 km route, the APM will be developed under a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer model. The last date for submitting a request for proposal for this project is February-end, according to DIAL’s tender document.

These upgrades aim to align IGIA with global hubs and streamline connectivity for millions of transit passengers.