IGI's new Runway

The new runway, being looked forward to in the face of rising air traffic and growing congestion over Delhi, will enhance the flight handling capacity of the airport from the current about 35 flights per hour to about 55-65 flights. That’s another thing that with rising aviation turbine fuel costs, several airlines have cut down on their total flights. However, congestion remains as bad as ever, with an average hovering time of 35-45 minutes during peak hours. The 4.4-km long new runway is probably one of the longest in Asia and capable of handling wide bodied aircrafts like A-380s and Antonov An-225. Calibration work on navigational aids is almost over and according to sources, work on calibrating the instrument landing system for one side of the runway remains to be completed. The only concern expressed by airlines and AAI officials was the huge amount of earth that has been piled up next to the runway. ‘‘While this may not have a direct impact on flights, we are expecting visibility to start decreasing on the runway by end-September when it would have stopped raining and pollution levels in the city would go up,’’ said sources. Airlines have also expressed apprehension over the taxiing time from the domestic apron to the new runway but DIAL officials said that a connecting taxiway would probably also be built towards the Vasant Kunj side in a later phase of development. ‘‘At present, a connecting taxiway between the main and new runways has been built towards the Dwarka side. Another one towards Vasant Kunj is being planned for later years,’’ said DIAL officials. Longest runway in India Built according to code F standards to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft like A-380 and Antonov AN-225 To have CAT-III landing facilities at both ends, making Delhi the only airport in India to have twin runways with the facility at both ends Use of 2.3 million cubic meters of earthwork and embankment filling. Enough to fill a 210km-long freight train 6.5 lakh tonnes of asphalt concrete used, enough to build a 75km-long six-lane expressway .