Airport to close for two weeks for runway repair

Tribune News Service

Mohali, February 9

With the Chandigarh International Airport remaining closed for civil and military operations from Sunday for two weeks on account of the ongoing runway repair, more than 60,000 passengers will have to defer their air travel plans from the city.

The airport authorities had earlier announced the suspension of flight operations from February 12 to 26.

The repair work includes re-carpeting, with the length of runway being extended from current 9,000 feet to 10,400 feet to accommodate wide-bodied air crafts, which will facilitate long-haul flights from Chandigarh to destinations in Europe, USA, Canada and UK.

Chandigarh International Airport Limited (CHIAL) public relations officer (PRO) Deepesh Joshi said: “The traffic of passengers at the airport is 4,000-4,200 a day. So, the disruption is expected to affect at least 60,000 passengers. The operations will resume on February 27.”

An IAF official said no military flights would operate from Chandigarh during the 15-day period. “Leh flights would take off from an airfield in Ambala,” said the official.

Suneel Dutt, CHIAL CEO, said: “The airport caters to an average of 1,50,000 passengers in a month. A majority of the traffic will be diverted to Delhi for connecting flights. The runway repair will be beneficial in the long run.”

The airport operates 27 flights, including three international flights to Dubai, Sharjah and Bangkok. Ten flights operate between Delhi and Chandigarh. The airport had witnessed a fall in the number of passengers after a change in watch hours. The IAF had curtailed watch hours at the airport from October 3 to March 31 with the runway available for commercial flights from 5 am to 4 pm and no flights on Sundays.

RK Negi, local station manager, Air India, said, “The operation of international flight to Sharjah has been shifted from Chandigarh to Amritsar for the closure period and it will arrive in Amritsar at 7 pm and take off at 9 pm. There is still no clarity on the Chandigarh-Kullu flight which was temporarily suspended in winters.”

Cab services likely to benefit 

Inderjit Singh, president, Mohali Taxi Services Union, said with the suspension of flights, private taxi services are expected to see a surge in business, especially between Delhi and Chandigarh. "The cost for services may increase by 15-20 per cent with demand," he said.  

No new trains or coaches 

Chandigarh: The Railways will not add any new train during the closure of the Chandigarh International Airport from February 12 to 26. Station Superintendent TP Singh said: "No extra trains are being added as seats are already lying vacant in several trains. We do not expect that there will be any problem about the availability of seats."  

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