Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) opens India’s longest runway
A new chapter in India’s aviation history unfolded yesterday morning, when the inaugural flight touched down on Indira Gandhi International Airport’s (IGIA) brand new runway 11-29. This is IGIA’s third runway and with it, it becomes the India’s first and among the very few civilian airports in Asia to have three operating runways.
The Minister for Civil Aviation Mr. Praful Patel along with senior parliamentarians and officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Directorate General of Civil Aviation & Airports Authority of India, were present to witness the first landing. The runway has been developed by Delhi International Airport, a GMR Group led Joint Venture Consortium mandated to operate and modernize the IGI Airport under a Public Private Partnership Initiative.
The first touch down at the runway was made by a special flight by an Air India Boeing 777. Upon arrival, the aircraft was given the traditional water cannon salute by the Fire Tenders by IGI Airport’s Fire Service.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. GM Rao – Group Chairman, GMR Group said, “Today is a great day for Indian Aviation. Runways are roads that lead to the sky, and it is GMR Group’s commitment to build infrastructure that paves the way for India’s economy to reach new heights. We are confident that this National Asset will truly occupy a pride of place in every Indian’s heart.“
Mr. Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Business Chairman – Airports, GMR Group said, “The completion of the runway ahead of schedule marks another project, which GMR Group has delivered before the deadline and we are on track to complete the Integrated Passenger Terminal (Terminal 3) on schedule as well. Together, the runway and Terminal 3 will form India’s new gateway to the world when it welcomes participants and guests for the Commonwealth Games 2010.â€
Completed more than six months ahead of scheduled date of February 2009, the 75m wide runway is among the longest in Asia at 4430m. Built to Code F standards, the runway is capable of handling new generation large aircraft such as the Airbus A380. 11-29 will significantly expand IGIA’s capacity to handle aircraft movements. In addition, the runway is also equipped with CAT IIIB Instrument Landing System at both ends allowing compatible aircraft to land even when the visibility is as low as 50m. This will complement the existing CAT IIIB equipment on runway 10-28 making IGI Airport the only one in India to have twin runways with this advanced Instrument Landing System. In addition, an advanced Surface Movement Guidance System, featuring induction loop sensors has been deployed to track the movement of the aircraft along the runway.
The runway has been constructed using some of the most advanced construction techniques, materials & equipment. More than 2000 trial mix designs were conducted in the project laboratory to arrive at the most suitable concrete and asphalt mixes for the runway layers and surface.
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