Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport will reopen its third runway for operations on September 20, after around seven months of strengthening and upgrade work, airport operator Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) announced on September 19.
Runway 11R/29L, commonly known as the third runway, has completed comprehensive rehabilitation, and all required inspections, validations and regulatory approvals have been secured for its recommissioning, DIAL said. The runway was shut in February 2026 for major airside infrastructure work.
The project included runway resurfacing, pavement strengthening and the permanent displacement of the threshold on Runway 29L. It also involved constructing a new Rapid Exit Taxiway, identified as RET Z1, along with upgrades to airfield ground lighting and associated civil and electrical infrastructure.
According to DIAL, the improvements are intended to enhance operational safety, efficiency and resilience at one of the country’s busiest aviation gateways. The upgraded infrastructure is also expected to optimise aircraft movement, reduce runway occupancy time and strengthen operational reliability.
The airport commissioned the third runway in 2008. It had remained in service for 17 years before the latest rehabilitation programme began, apart from regular maintenance and minor rehabilitation carried out in 2017, according to the operator.
Delhi airport currently handles more than 1,300 flight movements, including arrivals and departures, across four runways. It has an annual passenger-handling capacity of 106 million. DIAL is a joint venture between a consortium led by the GMR Group and the Airports Authority of India.
The runway will return to operational use from Sunday, September 20, following completion of the rehabilitation programme and the grant of all necessary regulatory clearances.
