आइए आज आपको ले चलें दिल्ली हवाई अड्डे के टर्मिनल 3 के सफ़र पर…

पिछले महिने ठिठुरा देने वाली ठंड में दिल्ली जाना पड़ गया। तीन रातें ठंड के मारे आधी सोती और आधी जागती कटीं। कार्यालय से वापस आने के बाद चुपचाप अपने कमरे में दुबक जाने के आलावा कुछ और करने की इच्छा ही नहीं होती थी। ख़ैर ना कहीं निकल सके और ना मित्रों से बातें हुई पर इस बार की हवाई यात्रा में दिल्ली के विख्यात टर्मिनल तीन को देखने का अवसर मिल गया। इससे पहले भी अपनी एक निजी यात्रा में बड़ी रोमांचक परिस्थियों में इस टर्मिनल से गुजरने का मौका मिला था पर वो किस्सा फिर कभी। आज आपको दिखाते हैं कि क्या खास है दिल्ली हवाई अड्डे के इस नए टर्मिनल में…

टर्मिनल की विशालता और भव्यता को देख कर ये यक़ीन करना मुश्किल होता है कि इसे महज तीन साल में बनाया गया होगा। चौसठ लाख वर्ग फीट में फैले इस टर्मिनल में करीब 78 एयरोब्रिज और 92 स्वचालित वॉकवे हैं यानि अब जहाज से निकल कर बस में सवारी करने की जरूरत नहीं। तो चलिए आज आपको दिखाते हैं इसी टर्मिनल की कुछ झलकियाँ मेरे कैमरे की नज़र से…

ये दृश्य दिखता है जब आप हवाईजहाज से निकल कर दिल्ली एयरपोर्ट में कदम रखते हैं। हाथों की विभिन्न भंगिमाएँ सहज ही मन को मोह लेती हैं..


चमकते फर्श, शीशे की दीवारों के बीच अचानक ही बीच बीच में हरियाली के छोटे छोटे टुकड़े मन को बेहद सुकून देते हैं…

और ये है क्रिसमस और नव वर्ष के लिए की गई विशेष सजावट…

भारत की विविधतापूर्ण सांस्कृतिक विरासत को चित्रकला के जरिए बड़ी खूबसूरती से दर्शाया गया है…

भारत में रहकर ही लीजिए इटली के मजे…

शरीर के हर अंग को ढकने के लिए अगर मँहगे जुगाड़ की तलाश में हों तो यहाँ पधारें..

धूम्रपान कक्ष और प्रार्थना कक्ष अलग अलग। कौतूहलवश मैं प्रार्थना कक्ष में गया तो देखा वहाँ सिर्फ बाइबिल और कुरान पड़ी है। बाहर वालों को प्रार्थना की सहूलियत तो हो गई पर पता नहीं ‘गीता’ या ‘रामचरितमानस’ रखने की जरूरत क्यूँ नहीं समझी गई।

एक तल्ले ऊपर चढ़ेंगे तो पहुँचेगे फूड कोर्ट में। सामने का ये गोलाकार टीवी बच्चों को बेहद आकर्षित कर रहा था..

और चलते चलते अगर गला सूख जाए तो उसे तर करने का भी इंतजाम है…

वैसे आपको ज्यादा ना चलना पड़े उसके लिए विशेष ट्रेवेलेटर की व्यवस्था है। यानि एक बार इस पर सवार हो जाइए और अपने निर्धारित गेट पर उतर जाइए।

अब सब मैं ही दिखा दूँगा कि ख़ुद से भी ‘EXPLORE’ करने की ज़हमत उठाएँगे आप..:)

तो कैसा लगा आपको ये सफ़र बताना ना भूलिएगा…

9 Comments

  • Vibha says:

    ???! ???? ????? ????? ??. ??????? ? ???? ????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ? ??? ???? ??. ?? ??????? ???? ??????? ???.
    -????

  • Nandan says:

    looks like I missed few things like that gol TV.

    Thank you Manish. Great pics and thanks for taking us there. A lot of us have heard about it and I am sure that those of us who have not been able to visit it, would find it really really helpful.

    I had a first brush with T3 in early Dec last year (or probably late Nov). It was an early morning flight and frankly I greatly missed the color/chaos of India. It looked like a huge-n-cold (reminds you of US airports) building with large khaali spaces, vending machines, long walks, grey-n-dull ambience. I know I am sounding a wee too harsh but that was my first impression.

    We tried to ape what we have seen outside, you know it would have been a bigger marvel if we could have created a real big hawai-adda (adda is the key), with its own share of hawkers, a bit of chaos, lot of action and vibrancy and so on. May be even have a couple of elephant rides for kids. The real India Bazaar.

  • I don’t agree guys. I think the touch of culture that they have added in terms of paintings on the wall and the decor is much more than any other country does on their international airports – atleast the ones that I have seen.

    I think it is good that they have so much of space there. With the number of flights that get stranded during winters, it is good to have space. You should look at Heathrow airport and how crowded it gets when it snows an inch higher than it usually does.

    And if you want to compete with the world, you have to have technology and cleanliness on display. So I guess I am a supporter of Terminal 3.

    • Onil Gandhi says:

      @vibha there is space as in teminal 3 and then space as in egronomics…. yes feeble attempts have been made to represent hindustaan in terms of painting and decor but list a few things that a common man can use without burning a hole in the pocket… hagen diaz starting at Rs 400 a cup – vanilla flavour) – others dont ask!!! and rarely a stuff at MRP….even the packed drinking water was of a upper-range brand …….everything designed for the dollars!

      the only reason why we like it is ’cause its first of a kind for us and we aam junta are still star-struck about it.

      sorry for this one-on-one but my opinion about Terminal 3 was stuck at the throat (three experiences under the belt)…

  • Sahil says:

    @ Manish Ji , Beautiful pics.

    @ Vibha. I definately agree with you. I really like the terminal 3. When the World is growing so fast , our airport should also be according to the International Standards. Terminal 3 definately matches the International Standards.

    @ Onil and Nandan . Ya I know that there is a lot of open wasted space there but you know India should also move with this fast growing World pace.

    Sahil

  • Dr. Ketan Gandhi says:

    I require to travel quite frequently and this takes me to Delhi airport frequently. I have been hopping on and off from T3 since last 2-3 months. So far, I still like the T2 more than T3. It provided the same facilities and in some cases better ones. The basic design of T3 requires you to walk from 10 minutes to 20 minutes (with help of travellator, that is). It increases your time inside airport significantly. That is not something very convenient for people like me who travel so frequently. The aesthetics are important for showcasing our country to people coming from outside. However that appeals for the first few times, but in the long run the ease of procedure is what matters.

    I agree with Nandan that our airports should look like ‘our’ airports and not as improved versions of foreign counterparts. The shopping outlets with the kind of price tags they have, are all designed to suit the needs of only the business class passengers. There, unfortunately, is nothing for average Indian flier. I dont think everybody flying may necessarily want to drink a cup of coffee at Rs. 100/- That is definitely not ‘Indian’. With all due constraints of high maintenance costs and all, we definitely deserve some outlets providing us with basic needs like tea & coffee at ‘Indian’ rates.

    Dr. KG

  • Nandan says:

    Good debate :-)

    @Vibha – Those huge spaces are fine and I guess they would have created this considering next 50 years in mind, in terms of demand etc. There was a lot of hulla about T3, all through and when I got a opportunity to experience it, it had nothing ‘special’. It looks like one big monster, that Indian sub-continent ‘Balm’ is missing. You know, if it had a chat-street with Tunday Kebab stall at INR 20 for two pieces, that might have made it so ‘special’.

    I know its very simple to go complaining or throw opinions from the comforts of a couch but I guess its just what Dr. KG said… “…improved version of foreign counterparts…”. India no longer needs to catch up, the world is turning around pretty quick.

    @ Manish – Baaton baaton mein kaafi pari-charcha ho gayee, hope you dont mind.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *