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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated t the newly integrated domestic and international terminal oday at about 11:00 am making it the fifth largest airport in the world.

The newly constructed Terminal 3 (T3) built at a cost of Rs 6,750 crore features more than 100 travelators or automated passenger walkways the first Indian terminal to offer this facility. Some of its specifications are that this 5.4 million square feet terminal has 78 gates, 97 automated walkways, 95 immigration counters, 215,000 square feet of retail space and parking for 4,300 four wheelers.

It has two- tier building has the departure complex on the upper level and the arrivals below. It is nearly a mile long and operation on it would start from 14 July onwards, after Air India shifts to the new building. International carriers will shift between July 15 and July 31 and the domestic carriers after that. The terminal’s baggage handling facility is capable of handling 12,800 bags every hour.

With all the good things, there are some points to be covered, as Airport operator Delhi International Airport Limited ( DIAL) has not completed work on all lounges. Sources said only the common lounges would be ready by July 14.

There will be two common lounges with a capacity of nearly 200 passengers. This means passengers of only one international airline can wait at one point of time,” the official said which means there would not be any business class lounges available for sometime.