The consortium has appointed UK-based Mott MacDonald as planning consultant and HOK International as architectural consultants. The two consultants would prepare a master plan for airport development, which would be submitted to the government within six months.
Moreover, it has also sought services from a Tata Group company for training employees in housekeeping and plans to send employees to overseas airports for hands-on experience training, sources in the know of developments said.
The joint venture company, Delhi International Airports Ltd, which took over operations of the airport from Airport Authority of India on May 3, has chalked out short and long-term plans.
This includes setting up a parallel runway by 2008 and having a combined international and domestic terminal before the start of Commonwealth Games in 2010. In its attempt to increase efficiency of the Air Traffic Control, DIAL has also invited bids from National Air Traffic Services of UK, Airservices Australia and German ATC for consultancy services. It is expected to finalise a partner in the next few months, sources said.
Although the operational authority of ATC lies with AAI, DIAL is involving consultants to provide inputs for improving efficiency. The consortium, which recently got the aerodrome operating license, expects to get all remaining government clearances by October this year.
It is likely to start refurbishing work on Terminal 1B, which serves as the departure point for most private airlines, shortly. It is also mulling over moving some private airlines to Terminal 1A, which is the port for state-owned carrier Indian.
Once the new combined terminal comes up, DIAL plans to use the old Terminal 1B for low cost airlines, sources said, adding an online flight information system is also expected to come up within 4-5 months.
The new operator has also identified 17 areas, including toilets, trolley management and checking the menace of touts, as short term targets for improvement.
Amongst other plans that the company has worked out includes converting all vehicles plying in the airport to CNG to make Delhi an eco-friendly airport. Already, Airport Authority of India vehicles run on CNG and the DIAL is likely to ask others to do the same.
Also, the consortium plans to increase the space of duty free shops and has begun talks with some global companies to be partners in the process.
The group has already informed the current duty free operators Flamengo and ITDC about possible changes in commercial policy, through which it intends to invite tenders in future for operating duty free shops.
To upgrade the existing three staff canteens, the group has invited international companies for upgradation. DIAL is expected to finalise a partner within a couple of months.