IGI runway works set to be halted as delays fail to abate

The civil aviation ministry is likely to direct the Delhi airport to pause the ongoing work on one of its runways that has been blamed as a key factor behind massive flight delays and operational disruptions over the past two weeks, officials familiar with the development said.

- Neha LM Tripathi

NEW DELHI: An advisory committee meeting called on Friday discussed the scheduling chaos and there was consensus on a pause. "The advisory committee had a meeting on Friday, and it has been decided that the runway work at Delhi airport should be temporarily suspended," one of the officials told HT.

The director general of civil aviation and the ministry of civil aviation are likely to sign off on the halt soon, following which a formal direction will be issued.

The suspension is likely to come into effect within "the next 10-12 days and may resume after the peak summer travel season, in the third week of June, which in aviation is considered a lean period," the second official said, adding that "an official order on the same is yet to be issued."

The committee overseeing the decision comprises various stakeholders, including the airport operator Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and airline representatives.