The Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, M. Madhavan Nambiar reviewed preparedness of the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) to handle traffic at IGI Airport during the closure of Runway-10/28 from 2 April, 2010 onwards for maintenance and repair. This was to ensure minimum disruption of air traffic, inconvenience to the traveling public and to minimize operational difficulties to airlines.
While the Ministry of Civil Aviation today has given its consent to the closure of runway for the period required for its maintenance and repair, (DIAL) has been asked to ensure that only the optimum construction period should be utilized and all possible efforts should be made to jump start the process and compress the closure time to the minimum possible, keeping in mind the risk mitigation so that there was minimum inconvenience to all during the process of recarpetting of the runway.
The Ministry has been informed by DIAL that the work on the runway will start on 2 April, 2010 and it will become fully operational by 28 September, 2010. During this time, air traffic movement would be managed by simultaneous use of Runways 27 and 29. The repair work in Runway-28 would be carried out in a phased manner so as to ensure minimum inconvenience for the taxing aircrafts.
DIAL is committed to complete the rehabilitation work of the runway before the Commonwealth Games. Generally, resurfacing of runways is required every 7 to 10 years depending on traffic density. The last resurfacing of runway 10/28 was done in the year 1999. Due to increase in traffic and heavier aircraft, the runway surface has got distressed and requires rehabilitation. The DGCA had carried out an inspection of the runway and had concluded that the runway was a need of major repair works.
The Ministry has instructed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the concurrence of the work and issue of necessary NOTAM. AAI has been asked to ensure promulgation of procedures for air traffic control and minimum reduction of capacity. They have also been asked to keep in readiness a contingency plan in case of disruption of work at either of the runway 27 and 29 during this period.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation will review the operations during this period very frequently.
The meeting was also attended by the Director General of Civil Aviation, the Chairman, AAI, senior officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and senior officials of DIAL.