Delhi Airport to Get India First Driverless Air Train

Overview

Delhi International Airport Limited is building India’s first driverless airport air train. It is called an Automated People Mover (APM) system. The train will run on a 7.7 km route. It will connect Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, Aerocity, and Cargo City. The project will cost between Rs2,000 crore and Rs4,000 crore. It is expected to start operating by the end of 2027 or in 2028. Transit passengers will ride it for free.

What is an Automated People Mover?

An Automated People Mover is a train that has no driver. It runs on rails. It is used for short distances inside airports, metro hubs, or large campuses. The Delhi Airport APM will be partly elevated and partly at ground level. The elevated part will be 5.7 km long. The surface-level part will be 2 km long. This is India’s first such system at an airport.

Route and Airport Connectivity

The air train will make travel inside the airport very easy. It will connect five important places:

• Terminal 1 (T1)

• Terminal 2 (T2)

• Terminal 3 (T3)

• Aerocity (where many hotels are located)

• Cargo City (where goods are loaded and unloaded)

This will help passengers move between terminals without using road transport. It will also help people working at the cargo area.

Project Cost and Timeline

Building this system is not cheap. The estimated cost is between Rs2,000 crore and Rs4,000 crore. The money will come from Delhi International Airport Limited’s own funds. This is called internal accruals. The project is expected to be ready by the end of 2027. Some experts say it may take until 2028 or even 2029. But everyone is excited to see it running.

Who Can Use It and For How Much?

The air train will be very useful for transit passengers. These are people who change flights at Delhi Airport. They will be allowed to use the train free of charge. Other people who are not passengers (like visitors or airport staff) may have to pay a small fee. This helps keep the system running smoothly.

Environmental and Service Benefits

The air train will do two good things. First, it will improve the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) score. This is a measure of how happy passengers are. Second, it will reduce the airport’s carbon footprint. Fewer cars and buses will be needed inside the airport. This means less air pollution. Many big airports around the world already use such systems, like Singapore Changi and Hong Kong International.

Exam-Focused Points 

• Project:  Automated People Mover (APM)  system (driverless air train).

• Location:  Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI)  , Delhi.

• Route length:  7.7 km  (5.7 km elevated + 2 km surface).