Delhi’s iconic Centaur Hotel, built for the 1982 Asian Games will soon be razed to grounds to make way for aircraft parking as part of the terminal 3 expansion plans. The 376-room Centaur Hotel was a landmark when it opened initially because of its flashy interiors.
According to a report by the ‘Times of India’, the Delhi International Airport Pvt Ltd (DIAL) said that the site of the hotel will be taken by December 2019 ."The site is not needed for the fourth runway as that will be built slightly ahead of it towards the existing third runway (29). But we have to make additional parking bays and the Centaur site is needed for that," said a senior airport official.
Centaur Hotel was built for the 1982 Asian Games and was considered as a city landmark. It is run by Air India. There were glass elevators visible from the central lobby but the mismanagement and meager maintenance faded its look gradually.
T2 (Terminal 2) of the IGI Airport that was supposed to be destroyed in 2020 to make way for T4 is likely to get extension now. T2 served as the international terminal from 1982 to 2010, when T3 opened. DIAL has now made it ready to handle domestic flights of some low cost carriers which will be shifted to T2 from T1.
An increasing number of travellers now opt for other five-star properties on account of Centaur’s shabby management. Air India may seek some other piece of land in the 4,608-acre IGI Airport complex in lieu of the hotel site.
An increasing number of travellers now opt for other five-star properties on account of Centaur’s shabby management. Air India may seek some other piece of land in the 4,608-acre IGI Airport complex in lieu of the hotel site.