Turbulence ahead: IGI runway due for repair

New Delhi: Flight disruptions loom large over Delhi. At a time when airlines are complaining about the new runway (29), the old warhorse main runway (28) that's in centre of IGI's three airstrips and has the most reliable CAT III landing system is due for recarpeting. This could mean closing this airstrip for anywhere up to seven months and leading to a majority of flights being handled from the `distant' runway 29, which is about 20 to 25 minute away from the domestic terminal for planes taxiing between the two. The result: massive delays.
The Delhi International Airport Pvt Ltd (DIAL) had got the pre-1980 era runway examined by two to three different engineering agencies. The verdict was that it needs recarpeting urgently for safe and comfortable flight operations. DIAL raised this issue when the aviation ministry's special purpose "oversight committee'' headed by secretary M M Nambiar was reviewing the progress of the joint venture at Delhi.
The third, primary runway (27), is the shortest of IGI's airstrips and is very far from the international side. Moreover, during peak summer aircraft face massive load penalty to take off from this short runway. This means that they have to sacrifice both passengers and cargo load to accommodate fuel required for their journey as they need to be light enough for lift off after a short run. So closing 28 would put almost entire pressure on 29, except some domestic flights on 27, something that IGI can't afford with nearly 700 movements a day. Moreover aircraft need to cross runway 28 while taxiing between the domestic terminal and the new runway 29.
To minimize inconvenience for doing this unavoidable job, during the meeting the Airports Authority of India (AAI) suggested that recarpeting be undertaken after the new integrated terminal is ready next year as it will be closer for both domestic and international flights operating on runway 29.
Or, it suggested, if the work has to be done now, it can be done in phases. "Runway 28 should be upgraded in a way that 8,000 feet of its entire 12,000-feet length is available so that a planes as big as A-320 can still land or take off there. This way the runway will be closed for landings and take off only when the mid portion is being recarpeted. Hence, instead of remaining closed for four to seven months, the total closure time can be reduced to about two months and hence disruptions can be minimized,'' said sources.
A top DIAL official said the issue will be discussed with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and AAI next week.
20/02/09 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Feb 2009