Delhi airport operator DIAL on Saturday stated the re-carpeted runway RW 10/28 is operational now.
The Indira Gandhi Worldwide Airport (IGIA), the nation’s largest airport, now has 4 operational runways. In latest instances, the airport has witnessed fog-induced operational disruptions that resulted in flight delays, cancellations, diversions in addition to passengers going through lengthy ready hours and congestion.
The Delhi Worldwide Airport Ltd (DIAL) stated the re-carpeting and refurbishment work of RW 10/28, often known as the second runway, has been efficiently accomplished and handed over to the Air Site visitors Management (ATC) for industrial operations from February 3.
“DIAL had undertaken the much-needed re-carpeting work of the three,813 metre-long and 45 metre-wide second runway in the course of September 2023, simply after the conclusion of the historic G20 Summit. Re-carpeting work of the runway was accomplished in December 2023, after which Airfield Floor Lighting (AGL) operationalisation was taken up,” it stated in an announcement.
The closure of the runway RW 10/28, which might deal with flight operations at low visibility, was cited as one of many causes in sure quarters for the congestion in the course of the fog season.
“The CAT III enabled Runway 10/28 on the Delhi Airport has been operationalised as we speak. This could guarantee additional mitigation of weather-related congestion points,” Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated in a submit on X.
The re-carpeting works included milling all the size of the runway and overlaying it with Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB).
PMB is bitumen mixed with a number of polymer supplies which reinforces the mechanical properties of the bitumen materials and it could stand up to heavy-duty site visitors and excessive climate circumstances, the assertion stated.
In accordance with DIAL, the rehabilitation work of RW 10/28 was taken up for improved passenger expertise, together with induction of few further taxiways.
“With the completion of rehabilitation work, Delhi airport would turn out to be future-ready for enterprise operations with its full capability. The passenger dealing with capability of its three terminals would enhance to 100 Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA) and the airside capability will improve to deal with 140 MPPA,” the assertion stated.
Now, Delhi airport has 4 operational runways — RW 09/27, RW 11R/29L, RW 10/28, and RW 11L/29R.
In a message to the employees final month, Air India chief Campbell Wilson stated the airline was taking a look at constructing a bigger pool of pilots who can function in low visibility circumstances, higher roster planning and schedule buffers in addition to extra pre-emptive flight cancellations to take care of disruptions.
“… As most of you in northern India are nicely conscious we’re within the ‘thick’ (so to talk) of an unusually dangerous fog season. This, coupled with the unfortunately-timed closure of considered one of Delhi’s two ‘low-visibility’ runways for restore, has considerably impacted all airways’ operations, with consequential impact on employees and, after all, prospects,” Wilson stated on January 25.
