An airplane taxiing at Indra gandhi International Airport, Delhi.
Indira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport of the National Capital Region of Delhi, India, situated in Palam, 15 km (9.3 mi) south-west of the New Delhi railway station and 16 km (9.9 mi) from New Delhi city centre. Named after Indira Gandhi, a former Prime Minister of India, it is the busiest airport in India. With the commencement of operations at the new Terminal 3, it became India's and South Asia's largest aviation hub, with a current capacity of handling more than 46 million passengers. IGIA along with Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, together handle more than half of the aircraft movements in South Asia. The airport's operator, Delhi International Airport Private Limited (DIAL), is looking to make the airport the next international transit hub.
Spread over an area of 6,300 acres (2,500 ha) of land, Delhi airport serves as the primary civilian aviation hub for the National Capital Region of India. It was previously operated by the Indian Air Force before its management was transferred to the Airports Authority of India. In May 2006, the management of the airport was passed over to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a consortium led by the GMR Group.
In 2011--12, the airport handled 35.88 million passengers and the planned expansion program will increase its capacity to handle 100 million passengers by 2030. The new Terminal 3 building has had the capacity to handle an additional 34 million passengers annually since the start of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Terminal 3 is the world's 8th largest passenger terminal. In September 2008, the airport inaugurated a 4,430 m (14,530 ft) runway. In 2010, Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) was conferred the fourth best airport award in the world in the 15--25 million category, and Best Improved Airport in the Asia-Pacific Region by Airports Council International. In years 2012,2013 and 20