Development of 3 Airports in NCR - Analyzing Future Prospects

Delhi Airport, with its annual passenger volume of 67 million, may hold the highest

position among Indian airports, but it falls short of Heathrow, which handles 70

million passengers, as well as Dubai and Beijing, with their respective figures of 90

million and 100 million passengers.

Lets now focus on Jewar. While it is intended to alleviate the burden on Delhi, its

initial impact will likely be limited. Bangalore, for instance, was designed to

accommodate 10 million passengers per year for the first five years. Yet, in its first

year alone, it handled 11.5 million passengers, and by the fifth year, it struggled to

manage the load of 15 million passengers. Presently, with two runways, it has

reached its maximum capacity of 32 million passengers, but further growth is unlikely

until the second terminal becomes operational.

After facing a setback due to the Covid-19 pandemic, India’s aviation sector is once

again experiencing a surge in route expansion. IndiGo, for example, is now flying to

destinations that many have never even heard of, such as Kadapa and Pantnagar.

This sustained growth of the Indian aviation industry, supported by the government

to some extent, is expected to continue positively.

Now, let’s consider Hisar and Jewar. Initially, their capacity will be limited due to the

presence of a single runway. With a recovery rate of 10 aircraft per hour (without a

full-length parallel taxi track), this means that during any given hour, the airports can

handle 3,600 passengers, resulting in a theoretical maximum of 31.5 million

passengers per year. In reality, however, the figure will likely be lower, around 15-18

million passengers, accounting for factors such as flight occupancy and limited

operating hours.

Consequently, Jewar and Hisar will initially add a capacity of 20-25 million

passengers, potentially increasing Delhi’s overall capacity to 87-92 million

passengers, similar to Dubai’s current capacity.

But does this imply that fewer passengers will transit through Delhi? Not necessarily.

On the contrary, expect stakeholders, particularly airlines, to employ innovative

marketing tactics. Given that Jewar is located 92 kilometers from IGIA, with a travel

time of 2.5 hours, it will emerge as a new standalone hub. Passengers heading to

Faridabad, Palwal, Greater Noida, Bulandshahr, or Aligarh would prefer to land at

Jewar rather than travel to New Delhi and then catch a bus.

Furthermore, the improved accessibility offered by these airports will attract individuals who previously refrained from flying due to complicated travel routes. For example, someone

traveling from Haldwani to Khurja would find it just as time-consuming to take a bus

as it would be to take a cab to Pantnagar airport, then fly to IGI, and finally use two

different modes of transport to reach Khurja. However, if they could fly directly to

Jewar and then take a bus to Khurja, they might find the saved time worth the

additional cost of the flight.

The same trend will apply to Hisar, particularly due to its distance of 175 kilometers

from IGI. People heading to Jind, Adampur, or Sirsa would prefer to land there,

eventually enabling air travel to areas previously lacking such infrastructure.

While it may seem that the passenger load will be distributed across three airports, in

reality, it will generate additional traffic that did not exist previously.

Airports generally grow in a modular fashion, starting with a single runway capable of

accommodating regional flights. Gradually, with the addition of a parallel taxi track

(PTT), traffic capacity doubles. By extending the runway to 9,000 feet, larger aircraft

such as A320s and 737s can be accommodated, further increasing passenger

capacity. Expanding the terminal, extending the runway to 11,000 feet, and

constructing a second PTT would enable the operation of larger planes like 777s and

350s.

Finally, the addition of a second runway would transform the airport into a

massive international hub comparable to any other in the world. In case of any

setbacks, there are always options like maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO)

facilities, flight schools, and even private jets taking advantage of the affordable

rates.

The lack of surface transport infrastructure will play a significant role in facilitating the

expansion of Hisar. While Delhi offers the convenience of the Metro for city-wide

connectivity, transportation beyond the city still relies on slow and outdated modes

such as buses and trains operating at 50 kmph. Contrasting this with Zurich, where

one can travel seamlessly from baggage claim to the underground railway station,

catching a high-speed train to Geneva, highlights the need for improved connectivity.

If Delhi and Hisar were connected by a high-speed train that transported passengers

from T3 to Hisar town center in just 45 minutes, a full-scale airport at Hisar will become extremely feasible. Therefore, capitalizing on the current lack of connectivity will be

crucial.