Prepare for traffic jam on IGI runway this summer

With runway 28-10 shut for operations from April 8 to September 20,passengers using the country’s busiest airport over the next six months will have to sit for long hours inside a hovering or taxiing aircraft.

Since the two operational runways for the next six months,27-09 and 29-11,are not parallel,they would not be used independently — they will be used in what officials call the ‘dependent mode’.

“In the dependant mode,permission for take-off will not be granted unless an approaching aircraft touches ground,” a senior Civil Aviation ministry official said. “This is because the two operational runways converge at a point,and it will be dangerous if an approaching aircraft is to abort landing at the last minute.”

This,the officials say,would result in flights having to hover over Delhi for much longer periods till the main runway is available.

According to plans framed by the airport operator,Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL),in consultation with the DGCA,runway 27 will be used for departure and runway 29 for arrival till runway 28 is reopened. Runway 29 is,however,nine kilometres from the domestic arrival terminal and an aircraft takes 20 to 40 minutes to taxi the distance.

Also,pilots have to maintain a mandatory descent profile at a displacement of 1,400 metres from the runway tip due to obstructions in its approach,like the Shiva statue on NH-8.

On Wednesday,the Delhi High Court gave temporary relief to the airport authorities by permitting use of runway 29 at night till repairs on runway 28 are over.

Last May,the court had ordered the closure of runway 29 after locals filed petitions complaining about the noise at night.

Road closed Runway 28 was commissioned in 1985,but has not been re-laid since

After a High Court order,AAI had issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) to ban night operations (from 10 pm to 6 am) on runway 29 on May 20 last year

The ban was lifted by the HC on March 11,considering the urgent need to repair runway 28 before the Commonwealth Games

Operational runways 29-11 and 27-09 to be used in ‘dependent mode’ during the closure of runway 28

Runway 29-11 to be used by all arriving aircraft

Runway 27-09 to be used by all departing flights