Delhi: Upgraded IGI runway to open by Sept 16, Terminal-2 by Oct 26

The announcement comes after months of disruption caused by the closure of Runway 10 for upgrades to CAT IIIB standards, which are essential for safe landings in dense fog

Fliers this winter may finally find some relief at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, with the upgraded runway expected to reopen on September 16 and the refurbished Terminal 2 set to resume operations on October 26, at least three officials aware of the matter confirmed on Wednesday.

The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) will soon conduct its final audit of Runway 10, after which it will be operational by September 16. (HT Archive)

The announcement comes after months of disruption caused by the closure of Runway 10 for upgrades to CAT IIIB standards, which are essential for safe landings in dense fog. Since mid-June, when the runway was shut for the second time this year, nearly 200 flights a day have been affected.

“The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) will soon conduct its final audit of Runway 10, after which it will be operational by September 16,” said an official familiar with the matter.

Terminal 2, which can handle 15 million passengers annually, will reopen soon after. While the upgrade will not increase its capacity, the refurbishments include a new flooring, aerobridges, washrooms, and structural repairs. “T2 will be made operational mostly by October 26, ensuring smooth travel during the peak winter season,” the official added.

Runway 10, located at the Dwarka end of the 10/28 strip, was first closed in April but had to reopen within weeks after strong easterly winds reduced the hourly arrival rate from 42 to 32 flights, causing operational chaos. The Union ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) intervened, instructing the airport operator Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) to resume services. Upgrade work then resumed in June.

Since June 15, DIAL has been cancelling 114 flights daily and rescheduling another 86 to non-peak hours. “The airport handles about 1,450 flights every day. The cancellations account for 7.8% of operations, slightly above the usual 3-4%,” DIAL CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said earlier.

Delhi airport, the country’s busiest, has four runways—27/9, 28/10, 29R/11L, and 29L/11R—and three terminals with a combined annual passenger capacity of 109 million. Terminal 1 handles 40 million passengers, while T2 has a capacity of 15 million.