Delhi Airport ₹3,500 Crore Air Train: Construction to Begin in 2027, Ready by 2030

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) is set to get a ₹3,500 crore Automated People Mover (APM), or air train, with construction expected to begin in 2027 and operations targeted for 2030. The project is designed to improve connectivity between the airport’s terminals and key transport and commercial zones.

According to Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the proposed 7.3-km automated system will connect Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 with Aerocity, the airport metro station and the airport’s cargo area. The project is part of the airport’s wider expansion plans to handle rising passenger and cargo demand.

Delhi Airport Air Train: Key Project Details

The Automated People Mover will have six stations and is expected to carry around 55,000 passengers a day during its opening year. Passenger volumes could eventually rise to approximately 85,000 a day once the system reaches saturation.

The proposed route will consist of a 5.3-km elevated section and a 2-km section at ground level. The system is planned to operate approximately once every 10 minutes, with the journey taking around 13 minutes.

Design work is currently underway, with a consultant already appointed. A vendor is expected to be selected before construction begins. Once construction starts, DIAL estimates that the project will require around 30 months to complete.

Air Train to Connect Delhi Airport With Metro and Aerocity

One of the key objectives of the project is to create smoother connections between the airport and Delhi’s wider transport network.

The APM will connect with the existing airport metro network at Aerocity. While the air train will not have a direct platform-to-platform interchange with the Metro, DIAL plans to locate the system adjacent to the Metro station to make transfers easier for passengers.

The development is particularly significant as Aerocity is expected to gain additional connectivity through the under-construction Golden Line and a proposed RRTS connection between Sarai Kale Khan and Alwar.

Delhi Airport Expansion to Support Rising Passenger Demand

The air train is being planned alongside a much larger expansion of IGIA. DIAL’s 2036 Master Plan estimates that Delhi Airport could handle approximately 129 million passengers annually, while the wider Delhi-NCR airport system could handle around 160 million passengers a year.

Delhi Airport’s passenger demand is projected to reach approximately 107 million annually by 2030, while airport capacity is expected to reach around 121 million passengers by that time.

The expansion programme includes additional terminal infrastructure, a new Pier E at Terminal 3, more check-in facilities and expanded baggage-reclaim areas. Terminal 1’s capacity is expected to increase to 45 million passengers annually, while Terminal 3’s capacity is projected to rise to 66 million.

Cargo infrastructure is also being expanded, with cargo traffic projected to reach approximately 1.7 million tonnes annually by 2036.

The ₹3,500 crore Automated People Mover therefore forms part of a broader effort to prepare Delhi Airport for significantly higher passenger, cargo and multimodal transport demand over the next decade.