New Delhi , India ( CNN ) -- A massive new terminal at New Delhi 's Indira Gandhi International Airport is being touted as a testament to India 's economic prowess . The sprawling five million square foot building was officially opened Saturday by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi . Complete with imported granite floors , huge white columns fitted with expensive speakers , 63 elevators , 95 immigration counters and a state of the art security and baggage system , Terminal 3 is also home to India 's first transit hotel . Officials say the new nine-level hub will be able to handle 34 million passengers per year , making it one of the biggest in the world . `` This is a confirmation that India has truly arrived on the world stage , '' India 's Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told the crowd of invited guests . Terminal 3 is a far cry from the cramped , low tech international terminal that existed before . In addition to its architectural grandeur , the $ 3 billion building is attempting to be green with high ceilings featuring skylights to save on energy consumption during the day . It was built in just 37 months in anticipation of the Commonwealth Games , which are coming to Delhi in October this year . But the terminal is not without its critics . Some question the amount of money spent on the project , pointing out less than one percent of the population travels by air .
New terminal at Congress Party cost $ 3 billion . Terminal 34 million built in the day in anticipation of the Commonwealth Games . Officials say it will be able to handle 3 passengers per year .