Key facts
- Hindon civil terminal is expanding aircraft parking from two to six bays.
- Passenger handling capacity will increase significantly.
- The terminal aims to become a viable third airport for Delhi-NCR.
- Infrastructure upgrades are expected to enable more flight operations.
- Additional services are planned for the latter half of the year.
- The terminal building expansion and additional parking area are slated for completion by August 15.
The Hindon civil terminal in Ghaziabad is undergoing a significant expansion to enhance its operational capacity and compete in the Delhi-NCR aviation market. The upgrades aim to address limitations in aircraft parking and reliance on external air traffic control, positioning Hindon as a viable third airport option alongside Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) and Noida International Airport.
The expansion includes increasing aircraft parking bays from two to six and boosting passenger handling capacity. By August 15, the terminal building will be enlarged by 700 square metres, and an additional 6,210 sq m of area for aircraft parking will be added through an agreement with the Indian Air Force (IAF), which operates the Hindon air base. This is expected to resolve parking bottlenecks and allow for up to 22 flights and over 500 passengers per hour.
The civil aviation ministry has granted in-principle approval for mixed flight timings, potentially allowing operations beyond the IAF's current dawn-to-dusk window. Hindon is also exploring the establishment of its own air traffic control system or utilizing the IAF's ATC with retired IAF officials.
Inside the terminal, check-in counters will increase from nine to 12, and the vehicle kerb area will expand from 3.5 metres to 8 metres to ease congestion. In the longer term, 14.8 acres have been earmarked for further expansion, with consent already obtained for 6.8 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 70 crore.
Currently, Hindon operates eight flights daily to various cities through IndiGo and Star Air. Officials anticipate the introduction of additional services in the second half of the year, following the completion of the expansion.