New Delhi: The operator of Delhi’s international airport, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), has taken legal action against the Indian government over its decision to allow commercial flights from Hindon Airforce Station, a nearby defense aerodrome.
Majority-owned by GMR Airports, DIAL argues that the move threatens its financial stability and breaches aviation regulations, legal filings reveal.
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, one of India’s busiest, handled 73.6 million passengers in the past year but reported a $21 million loss due to increased government fees.
The lawsuit, filed on March 10, warns that allowing flights from the Hindon Airforce Station will render Delhi airport “economically and financially unviable.”
DIAL contends that the government’s decision violates aviation regulations prohibiting the establishment of a new airport within 150 km (90 miles) of an existing one unless justified by passenger demand.
The Delhi High Court has directed the government to submit written responses after India’s Solicitor General Tushar Mehta revealed that Hindon Airport currently operates over 120 flights weekly.
The lawsuit also highlights a potential conflict of interest, as the state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI)- which operates Hindon, holds a stake and three board seats in DIAL. DIAL claims that AAI has access to confidential business strategies, raising concerns about fairness in aviation operations.
India’s civil aviation ministry has yet to comment on the legal challenge. Originally, Hindon served as a temporary extension of Delhi Airport from 2017 under the Indian government’s regional connectivity scheme while the capital’s airport underwent expansion.
Now, its transition into a commercial hub has sparked legal resistance from DIAL, which is represented in the lawsuit by the Indian law firm Trilegal. The case continues to unfold as Delhi’s High Court examines the dispute.
