Terminal 1-A opens today

NEW DELHI, July 1: Indian Airlines and Alliance Air passengers can take off in style from Friday when the state-of-the-art domestic departur...

NEW DELHI, July 1: Indian Airlines and Alliance Air passengers can take off in style from Friday when the state-of-the-art domestic departure terminal will finally open. The terminal will be formally inaugurated tomorrow by Union Home Minister L.K. Advani.

Departure terminal 1-A, which was gutted in an October 30, 1996 fire, has been reconstructed in eight months at a cost of about Rs 26 crore.

Importantly, it has now been provided with hi-tech fire fighting and security equipment. Airports Authority of India AAI chairman Ranjan Chatterjee said that the building has the latest computerised fire detection, alarm and automatic sprinkler systems. As an added precaution, the airconditioning ducts have been fitted with smoke and flame arresters.

Passengers will not have to wait in serpentine check-in queues, as there are 34 counters in the new departure terminal. Of these, there are four fast-track Express counters for those with only hand baggage, and two separate counters for wait-listed passengers.

Chatterjee and other AAI officials said this terminal could simultaneously handle about 1,500 passengers for five wide-bodied aircraft like A-300s during peak hours, which is comparable with international standards. This will increase the domestic passenger service capability from 4.7 million per year to 7.2 million per year, to meet the expected growth of traffic in the next five years.

The terminal has also been carefully redesigned to cater to passengers with special needs. Airport director Harbans Kumar said, 8220;We had to take into account the needs of the handicapped and women with infants or minor children.8221;

Keeping this in mind, special ramps have been constructed for the handicapped so that the wheelchairs can roll right into an ambulift. The special mother care room is adequately filled with toys to keep small children entertained while they wait to board the plane.

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As far as security goes, the departure terminal has been fitted with close-circuit television cameras and other security equipment, said AAI officials.

While the new complex sports a special VIP lounge, parking lot, toilets and phone booths, there is a separate lounge for credit card-holding business executives.his section will be operated by the Maurya Group.