India hails $3 billion showpiece airport terminal

New Delhi: A massive new terminal at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport is being touted as a testament to India's economic prowess.
The sprawling five million square foot building was officially opened Saturday by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi.
Complete with imported granite floors, huge white columns fitted with expensive speakers, 63 elevators, 95 immigration counters and a state of the art security and baggage system, Terminal 3 is also home to India's first transit hotel.
Officials say the new nine-level hub will be able to handle 34 million passengers per year, making it one of the biggest in the world.
"This is a confirmation that India has truly arrived on the world stage," India's Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told the crowd of invited guests.
Terminal 3 is a far cry from the cramped, low tech international terminal that existed before.
In addition to its architectural grandeur, the $3 billion building is attempting to be green with high ceilings featuring skylights to save on energy consumption during the day.
03/07/10 Sara Sidner/CNN

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Airports Jul 2010