Indira Gandhi International Airport, the busiest air transit hub in the nation, will temporarily cancel 114 flights each day for a period extending up to three months, as announced by the airport’s operating authority. The disruption comes in light of planned maintenance and refurbishment work on Runway 28/10, one of the airport’s principal airstrips.
According to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), this runway will remain completely shut during the upgradation process. The restoration works will include resurfacing of the runway surface, installation of advanced lighting systems, and enhancements to drainage channels, aimed at improving safety and operational standards.
With this critical runway out of service, air traffic will be rerouted through the remaining runways — namely 11R/29L, 11L/29R, and the newly introduced 11C/29C. However, given the reduced runway availability, flight movements will need to be curtailed. Consequently, airlines have been instructed to modify their schedules, resulting in the cancellation of more than a hundred flights daily.
Air carriers such as Air India, IndiGo, Vistara, and others are expected to bear the brunt of this move. While both domestic and international flights will be impacted, authorities have stated that international and long-distance services will be given priority in allocation.
Passengers planning to travel from Delhi during this period are advised to check their flight status in advance and allow additional time for airport procedures, particularly as the peak summer season continues to attract heavy footfall.
Although this temporary measure may lead to inconvenience for passengers and logistical challenges for airlines, the long-term goal is to ensure that the airport infrastructure remains capable of meeting the demands of rapidly increasing air traffic. The upgraded runway will be better suited to accommodate wide-body aircraft and higher frequency operations.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and relevant civil aviation authorities are supervising the execution of the project, which is considered vital for the future growth and efficiency of the capital’s primary airport.
DIAL has urged travelers to remain patient and cooperative, assuring that all efforts are being made to complete the works in a timely and efficient manner.
