Attention flyers! Delhi airport to shut runway 28/10 for 90 days from 15 June

The government has commenced preparations for the closure of one of the four runways at Delhi Airport in mid-June and has directed airlines to plan for flight cancellations, according to officials who cited a discussion between Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and airline representatives on Tuesday.

Runway 28/10 at Indira Gandhi International Airport is set to close for the upgrade of its landing instruments. 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.

A second attempt will begin on 15th June, lasting for 90 days. Officials have identified this period as relatively quieter than at present, with fewer people expected to travel to and from the city due to the holiday season.

“Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu held a meeting with airlines on Tuesday morning and instructed them to start preparing for the runway closure, which is expected to last for around three months,” an official close to the development told HT.

The minister has taken a proactive approach to prevent a repeat of the disruption that occurred in April. "The minister also instructed airlines to plan flight cancellations in advance to reduce inconvenience for passengers," said a second official familiar with the matter.

“He (Naidu) further asked the airlines to propose all possible measures that could be taken to minimise the impact of the runway closure on passengers,” the official added.

A high-level meeting was convened at the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), involving a wide range of stakeholders. Participants included representatives from all Indian airlines, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), aviation secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, the Director General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO of Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL).

The renewed emphasis on advanced planning follows the chaotic events of April, when Delhi airport authorities closed runway 28/10 on 8th April to upgrade its Instrument Landing System (ILS) to CAT III B standards. This upgrade was intended to allow operations in low-visibility conditions, which are frequent during Delhi's foggy winters. Additionally, the runway's lighting system had to be extended from 650 to 900 metres.

However, by 11th April, the airport started facing substantial flight delays, which were blamed on poor planning among stakeholders, including the absence of any requirement for airlines to reduce services. The situation was further exacerbated by periods of thunderstorms.