Delhi IGI Airport To Temporarily Close Major Runway For Extensive Safety And Capacity Upgrades

One of the four runways at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), India’s busiest aviation hub, will be taken out of service for nearly four months from 16 February to facilitate extensive repair and modernisation work, airport operator Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) announced on Monday (19 January).

The runway, designated 11R/29L and commonly referred to as the third runway, has been operational since 2008 and handles a significant share of aircraft movements at the airport.

DIAL said the prolonged use, coupled with a sharp rise in traffic and operational load over the years, has necessitated large-scale rehabilitation.

The closure follows lessons from April 2025, when the temporary shutdown of another runway for upgrades severely disrupted flight schedules, leading to widespread delays and cancellations.

After intervention by Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, that runway had to be reopened ahead of schedule. This time, authorities say detailed planning has been undertaken to avoid a repeat of those disruptions.

Work on runway 11R/29L is expected to commence after receiving regulatory clearances and is slated for completion by early July, subject to approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). DIAL has maintained that overall airport capacity will remain unaffected.

“DIAL, in coordination with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other stakeholders, convened multiple high-level consultations to assess and mitigate the impact of closure … Also, airlines and Air Traffic Control (ATC) have been fully briefed, and operational plans are in place to ensure smooth continuity of services,” the operator said.

The upgrade will involve resurfacing the runway and associated taxiways, installing a new Instrument Landing System (ILS) to aid operations during poor visibility, and building a Rapid Exit Taxiway to improve runway clearance times.

Nearly 2,000 airfield ground lights will be removed and reinstalled, while drainage at the runway ends will be widened to prevent waterlogging during heavy rainfall.

Please click here to add Swarajya as your preferred and trusted news source on Google

Also Read: Mumbai–Pune Expressway’s ‘Missing Link’ Nears Finish Line, Opening Slated For 1 April: Report