New Delhi: A parliamentary committee has advised the Ministry of Civil Aviation to concentrate on terminal development, including an increase in the number of check-in desks and security check gates, to help passengers move through the terminals more easily.

On March 13, the Ministry of Civil Aviation report was presented to Parliament by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture.

The Committee has also examined the problems caused by airport congestion, especially those in Delhi and Mumbai. The Committee asks the Minister to provide the required instructions to the concerned airport operators in this regard as it believes that such capacity restrictions at the country's major airports represent inadequate planning.

It has advised that the Ministry concentrate on increasing the number of check-in desks and security check gates at airports to promote the efficient passage of passengers.

The Committee has observed that travellers are forced to stroll through the F&B establishments and retail stores at airports in order to increase the revenue from non-aeronautical activities.

Further, it has been suggested that the Ministry should instruct airport operators to designate a different route to the boarding gates for elderly and disabled passengers and to offer them extra assistance at all times.

The Committee claims that the current airports and terminals have a variety of capacity issues. For instance, the Terminal 1 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi does not have a fourth runway (29 "right") because of various administrative issues. The capacity of a crucial airport is being hampered by the operational delay of this runway, which is increasing flight delays and increasing airline operating costs.
It has been suggested that the Delhi airport's fourth runway (29 "right") be operationalized as soon as possible, and the Committee may be given an action taken report.

The Committee stated that it would also like to know information about the old, discontinued, and non-operational airlines' aircraft that are parked in hangars and on runways at different airports. The specifics of the parking cost levied by the relevant airport operators and the removal schedule may also be provided.

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