Mumbai: Get ready for delays, possible higher ticket prices, and some upset schedules as the Mumbai airport plans to shut its main runway for eight hours, six days a week, starting October-end to build two new taxiways.
While the construction work, which will take seven months to complete, will cause major disruptions as operations will be shifted during this time to the secondary runway, the new taxiways will eventually help taking smaller aircraft faster off the runway after landing, adding to overall efficiency.
The decision to carry out the construction during the day, and thus spare international flights from disruptions, was taken at a high-level meeting at the airport on Monday. The meeting was attended by senior officials of the airport's private operator Mumbai International Airport Limited and the Airports Authority of India.
General Manager, Air Traffic Control, Jayant Dasgupta confirmed the plan to shut the main runway. "The main runway will be closed from October end till May 2014 to felicitate the construction work of taxiways. During the closure period, flights will be operated from secondary runway 14/32," he said. Mumbai International Airport Limited officials refused to comment.
20/09/13 Bipin Kumar Singh/Mumbai Mirror
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While the construction work, which will take seven months to complete, will cause major disruptions as operations will be shifted during this time to the secondary runway, the new taxiways will eventually help taking smaller aircraft faster off the runway after landing, adding to overall efficiency.
The decision to carry out the construction during the day, and thus spare international flights from disruptions, was taken at a high-level meeting at the airport on Monday. The meeting was attended by senior officials of the airport's private operator Mumbai International Airport Limited and the Airports Authority of India.
General Manager, Air Traffic Control, Jayant Dasgupta confirmed the plan to shut the main runway. "The main runway will be closed from October end till May 2014 to felicitate the construction work of taxiways. During the closure period, flights will be operated from secondary runway 14/32," he said. Mumbai International Airport Limited officials refused to comment.
20/09/13 Bipin Kumar Singh/Mumbai Mirror
