Delhi airport runway closure: Centre to ensure minimal impact on scheduled flights

New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) As airport authorities prepare to temporarily shut one of the runways at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in June, Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu on Friday said that discussions are on with key stakeholders to ensure minimal impact on scheduled flights.

Runway 28/10 is scheduled to be shut down from mid-June until mid-September to facilitate the upgrade of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) to CAT III B standards — a critical upgrade to one of the airport’s primary runways.

The technology enables aircraft to land safely during low visibility conditions, which are particularly common during Delhi’s dense winter fog.

Speaking on the sidelines of the curtain-raiser event for the aviation conference ‘Wings India 2026,’ to be held in January in Hyderabad, Union Minister Naidu said that the ministry is discussing with stakeholders, including airlines, on how to ensure minimal impact on the scheduled flights due to the closure of the runway.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has four runways -- RW 09/27, RW 11R/29L, RW 11L/29R and RW 28/10 -- and two operational terminals -- T1 and T3.

The T2 terminal is currently closed for maintenance works.

The initial attempt to close the runway in April was abandoned after just four weeks, as flight schedules descended into disarray.

The airport was unable to accommodate its usual daily traffic of approximately 1,400 flights using only three of its runways.

According to reports, due to the closure of the runway, nearly 50 daily flights will be cancelled, while another 50 will be shifted to off-peak hours.

Airport authorities are optimistic that resuming the work during the June–September period will allow for smoother operations.

The Civil Aviation Ministry also plans to release revised flight schedules well in advance to help passengers avoid last-minute disruptions during runway maintenance at the Delhi airport.

--IANS

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