The Hindu : New Delhi News : New runway at IGI runs into trouble

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Friday, Jan 09, 2009
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New Delhi

New runway at IGI runs into trouble

Parul Sharma

A senior AAI official, however, denies that anything is wrong with the runway

NEW DELHI: Launched with much fanfare recently, the third runway at Indira Gandhi International Airport here was expected to reduce the number of fog-related flight delays during poor visibility conditions this winter season.

Being equipped with CAT-III-B instrument landing system at both ends, the third runway together with the main runway was to shoulder the burden of clearing backlog of flights during bad visibility at Delhi airport. However, it is reportedly under-utilised thanks to poorer visibility compared with the main runway, the long distance from the domestic apron and faulty runway visual range measuring machines, as claimed by some airport officials and the airlines.

Another problem

However, some officials connected with the operations of the airlines and Delhi airport have pointed out another problem with the new runway.

Officials assert that even though surface movement radars — that are needed to track the aircraft movement on ground in low visibility conditions — have been installed on the third runway, sensors that are also important are yet to be fixed, a claim rejected by the authorities.

“There is talk that the authorities will install sensors only by March/April 2009 as they have not even been procured so far. We have radars but no sensors on the runway. Therefore, we know that there is something on the runway but without the sensors we can’t make out if the object on the runway is an aircraft or a jeep,” said an official.

The third runway is far from the Air Traffic Control tower, and sitting there one can’t see much from the naked eye more so on a foggy day.

“One can also not identify which type of aircraft is there on the runway. We know something is moving on the runway, but it is not clear if it has vacated the runway or not, in the absence of the sensors,” he added.

The operator of the IGI Airport, Delhi International Airport Limited, maintained that the surface movement guidance control system was under the Airports Authority of India.

A senior AAI official denied anything was wrong with the third runway.

“The new runway meets the operational requirements and guidelines. It meets all essential minimum requirements. All equipments, whether it is the instrument landing system or ground radar system, are in place. There is no deficiency in anything,” he said.

The third runway was commissioned for low visibility air traffic operations on December 12 following an inspection by the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation.

“It meets all the requirements needed to ensure CAT-IIIB operations. The DGCA will give its nod and certify it for use only once surveillance requirements are met. There are no additional requirements as of now,” the official added.

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