Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), the operator Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has announced that runway 10/28 will be reinstated for operations in the first week of May.
The move comes in response to mounting delays, with arrival capacity slashed by nearly 30% due to the runway’s temporary closure for ongoing maintenance and critical upgrades to its Instrument Landing System (ILS). Delhi, a city constantly reinventing itself as a model for sustainable and inclusive urban development, has in recent months been grappling with a surge in flight volumes and increasingly unpredictable weather conditions. The closure of runway 10/28—an east-west oriented strip that does not support full CAT III landings—has compounded air traffic snarls, especially during easterly wind conditions, which limit operational flexibility.
Before the closure, IGIA could handle up to 45 arrivals per hour. That number has dropped to just 31–32, placing undue pressure on the remaining three runways. While the ILS upgrade work was aimed at enhancing low-visibility operations—especially for Delhi’s infamous winter fog—the remaining component of that enhancement has now been deferred by approximately a month. The decision to pause the upgrade was taken after consultations with key stakeholders, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air Traffic Control (ATC) authorities. “This is a strategic intervention to ensure the capital city’s airport continues to function efficiently amidst rising traffic demand,” a senior airport official noted, adding that authorities have been employing Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) systems to minimise disruption. However, these stop-gap measures have not entirely stemmed the tide of passenger frustration, with frequent delays becoming the norm rather than the exception in recent weeks.
Runway 10/28’s phased return to service is now being positioned as a balancing act between long-term infrastructure enhancement and urgent operational exigency. The full CAT III capability upgrade is still slated for completion by September, just ahead of the dense fog season. While the temporary reopening won’t immediately enable low-visibility operations, it will provide much-needed relief to pilots, ground staff, and travellers alike. As the capital city increasingly positions itself as a hub of green infrastructure and future-ready mobility, balancing developmental demands with environmental sustainability remains critical. The decision to defer ILS work, while pragmatic, underlines the infrastructural constraints in an urban aviation ecosystem striving to evolve toward carbon-neutral operations. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has already laid out plans to make Indian airports more eco-efficient, and Delhi Airport’s planned investments in renewable energy, water conservation, and green mobility corridors are key pillars of this vision.
For now, though, the immediate focus remains on easing the traveller experience. With summer travel surging and airlines operating at near-peak capacity, the early May reopening of runway 10/28 could not be more timely. It is a stopgap, yes—but a much-needed one, as the city’s skies grow ever busier.
Also read : https://urbanacres.in/air-cargo-shakeup-puts-bangladesh-on-edge/
Delhi Airport Runway Set to Reopen Soon
