Currently, passengers disembark at the metro station near Terminal 3 and either walk half a kilometre to Terminal 2 or wait for an airport-operated shuttle bus.

New Delhi: To come up with a seamless travel solution, The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is finally starting the construction of the subway that will connect between Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 of IGI airport. It is expected to be completed in two years. The DMRC, in collaboration with Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), is embarking on the project to bridge the existing gap and create a hassle-free journey for travellers.

At present, the distance between Terminal 2 to the airport metro station is about 500 meters. Passengers have to get out of the station near Terminal 3 and walk half a kilometre to reach T2, or take a shuttle bus provided by the the airport, or depend on other modes of transport. With the subway, there will be direct connectivity between T3 and T2 and help passengers save time.

The subway will be 10m wide and have a height of 4.2m, and will cost around Rs. 26.60 crore. They said it will be constructed using a box pushing method and will likely take 21 months from the date the tender is awarded to complete.

“Delhi Metro signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the airport operator, in May 2023 for the construction, operation and maintenance of the subway connecting T-2 to IGI Airport Metro station at T-3,” a senior DMRC official was quoted as saying in TOI.

The work has been awarded by Delhi Metro, which launched a tender for the subway’s development. “Work will begin this month itself. Barricade installation and other preparatory activities are anticipated to begin in the coming days. Within the next two years, the subway will be finished, a DMRC representative stated.

According to the report in the publication, DAIL will cover all construction costs associated with the subway, including any necessary utility relocation and repair work. The cost of operating and maintaining the subway’s systems, including those for elevators, escalators, electrical, mechanical, telecom, CCTV surveillance, security, and public address systems, will be covered by DMRC.

The internal dimension of the subway will be 10 metres in width, 4.2 metres in height, while the length will be around 70 metres, as reported by The Times of India.

According to a DMRC official, the box-pushing method will be used to construct the subway. Compared to the traditional cut-and-cover technology, this process is substantially faster. The box-pushing method will be used keeping in mind the presence of utilities and buildings in the surrounding areas, limited space availability, and traffic management,” the official added.

With trains travelling at 120 kmph, the Airport Express Line is the nation’s fastest metro corridor.

Terminal 2 records an average daily footfall ranging between 38,000 and 42,000, while Terminal 3 sees between 119,000 and 124,000 visitors per day.