Delhi airport congestion: Parliamentary panel issues summon to CEO of IGI Airport, chalks out action plan

After Scindia's visit to the Terminal 3 of IGI Airport in Delhi, a parliamentary panel summoned the CEO of DIAL along with others on December 15.

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With numerous complaints received for the ruckus observed at the check-in gates at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Transport, Tourism, and Culture has stepped in. The PAR panel has issued summon against the CEO of Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), led by YSR Rajya Sabha MP Vijaysai Reddy. The PAR panel took suo motu cognisance of grievances reported by passengers about the airport. Alongside, the committee has also chalked out an action plan, which comes into effect to reduce such ordeals for flyers. The decision from the panel comes after Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia’s inspection, last Wednesday.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) directs all the airlines to deploy adequate manpower at check-in counters to ensure de-congestion and smooth flow of passengers at the airports. pic.twitter.com/Q7tIbruxfr

— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2022

Officials said certain changes have been effected at DIAL airport T3 in the last four days and these pertain to several areas, including entry, security and the immigration process. They said real-time updates on waiting time will be posted on social media. Traffic marshals have been posted at the departure forecourt to avoid vehicular congestion, officials said.

Officials said there are 16 entry gates at T3 (14 for passengers and two for crew). Two additional gates have been opened, taking the total to 18 gates (16 for passengers, 2 for crew). Awareness posters have also been put up at the entry gate for passengers to be ready with their boarding passes beforehand to save time during the check. Dedicated resources have been deployed at the entry gates to usher passengers in.

#6ETravelAdvisory #DelhiAirportUpdate #goIndiGo @MoCA_GoI @JM_Scindia pic.twitter.com/l9pDfm4Or6

— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 12, 2022

In terms of security, additional X-ray machines have been installed in T3`s domestic terminal. Additional manpower has also been deployed in the ATRS (Automatic Tray Retrieval System) area to help passengers to retrieve trays and ensure congestion management.

Apart from awareness posters, mobile alerts are also being sent to inform passengers on the dos and don’ts. To streamline the immigration process, incoming international passengers are being encouraged to complete the Immigration Paper Landing Cards while onboard. Manpower has also been deployed at the disembarkation point to facilitate passengers who have not filed the papers onboard, for speedy completion before they reach the immigration counter.

Officials also said there are digital display boards showing the waiting time at each entry gate and a least wait time board at the terminal checkpoint. A Command Centre will also monitor crowding at the gates real-time. Scindia on Monday paid a surprise visit to the airport, inspecting all the reported congested areas and interacting with the airport staff.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Scindia said steps were being taken to ensure ease of travel for air passengers. There have been complaints on social media by air passengers experiencing overcrowding at the key terminus.

"We have increased the number of entry gates from 14 to 16. There was a meeting with officials inside the airport where we decided that a signboard should be placed at every entry gate displaying the waiting time," Scindia told ANI. "This will help people line up at gates where there is minimum waiting time," he added.

With inputs from ANI