The Delhi Airport has completed the expansion work of first phase of smart Apron of Terminal 1, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) spokesperson said on Wednesday.

In the first phase, 19 out of 82 Code C stands have been constructed, and all of them have become operational after statutory approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). With this, the total number of parking stands on the T1 Apron would increase from 55 (prior to commencement of Phase 3A works) to 82, including 22 contact stands and 8 MARS stands (which can cater to both Code C and Code E aircraft).

According to DIAL officials, the new apron would help reduce air traffic congestion on the airside. “The creation of new contact stands would lead to reduction in the number of Ground Support Equipment (GSE). This will ensure faster aircraft turnaround time and improve safety in the Apron area, resulting in improved operational efficiency on the airside,” the official said.

I. Prabhakara Rao, Deputy Managing Director, GMR Group, said “The completion of the first phase of works for the expansion of T1’s new smart Apron is another step towards enhancing the infrastructure and passenger experience

at Delhi Airport to make it future-ready.

The new smart apron will not only facilitate improved passenger experience by improving operational efficiency and safety on the airside, but also contribute towards significantly reducing harmful CO2 emissions, underlining DIAL’s commitment to environment-friendly outcomes and initiatives. Post completion of Phase 3A Expansion Works, the passenger handling capacity of Delhi Airport would increase to 100 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and the airside capacity will be enhanced to handle 140 MPPA.”