Good News For Commuters! Delhi Metro’s New 2.26 KM Underground Corridor To Bridge T1-T3 Connectivity Gap

New Delhi: In a major move to end the ‘transit headache’ for thousands of commuters, the Delhi Metro has fast-tracked the construction of a strategic underground link connecting the Aerocity interchange to Terminal 1(T1) of Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The Aerocity–Terminal-1 corridor is an extension of the Golden Line of the Delhi Metro.

Part of the newly sanctioned Phase 5(A) expansion, this 2.26 km tunnel is the final piece of the puzzle in creating a truly integrated airport ecosystem. 

Once operational, it will allow domestic flyers at T1 to reach the international terminals (T2 and T3) via a swift, five-minute metro ride, bypassing the perennially congested road shuttle services.

Ending the Terminal Divide

For years, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has faced a unique challenge while Terminals 2 and 3 are within walking distance of each other, Terminal 1 remains geographically isolated. Currently, passengers landing at T1 must rely on road taxis or transit buses to reach the Airport Express Line at Aerocity.

"We have worked closely with DMRC to extend the Golden Line directly to the T1 station," said a senior airport official. "This isn't just a tunnel; it’s a high-speed bridge that turns Aerocity into a global-standard multi-modal hub."

Key Highlights of the New Link

• A 2.26-km fully underground stretch extending from the Aerocity station. 
• This link serves as a crucial extension of the Golden Line (Line 10), which connects Tughlakabad in South Delhi to the airport. 
• Passengers carrying heavy luggage will no longer be subject to Delhi's extreme heat or monsoon rains while transferring between terminals as the entire corridor is underground and includes one station at Terminal-1. 
• Aerocity is now evolving into a "Triple Interchange," where the Golden Line, the Airport Express Line, and the future NCRTC Alwar RRTS corridor will all meet.

A Boon for South Delhi Commuters 

Beyond airport travelers, this corridor is a game-changer for residents of Saket, Tughlakabad, and Chhatarpur. For the first time, these South Delhi neighborhoods will have direct underground access to the domestic airport, potentially removing over 25,000 private vehicles from the Rao Tula Ram (RTR) Marg every day.

Project Status (January 2026)

With civil construction on the Phase 4 "Priority Corridors" already 80% complete, DMRC is pushing to integrate this T1-Aerocity spur by early 2027. Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) are expected to begin the "T1-Breakthrough" later this year, utilizing the same advanced Earth Pressure Balancing (EPB) technology used in the deep tunnels of Chhatarpur.

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