While a fourth runway will increase the number of air traffic movements per hour, an elevated taxiway connection will allow the aircraft to vacate the runway faster and shorten its taxiing time. Delhi Airport, operated by GMR Infra is the country’s largest airport and handles around 75-80 aircraft movements per hour.
The airport currently has three runways which can operate simultaneously. However, after the fourth runway becomes operational, two existing runways will be closed for maintenance work. All four runways will be operational from March 2024.
After the launch, Delhi Airport will become the country’s only airport to have four runways. Currently, it operates with a three-runway system known as the northerly runway and southerly runway, designated as 27-28 North and 29 South.
Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will inaugurate the taxiway and fourth runway on July 13. A 2.1-km-long dual elevated corridor will help decongest the airport and improve circulation paths of the aircraft and will also reduce about 55,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
A plane landing on Runway 29R and heading to Terminal 1 using the elevated cross taxiway (ECT) will have to taxi for just seven minutes from July 13 as compared to 12-15 minutes right now, said IP Rao, deputy managing director at GMR Group.“Every time a plane is using ECT to go from Runway 29R to Terminal 1, it will be saving 350 kg of fuel,” he said.
