By IANS,
New Delhi : The third runway of the Indira Gandhi Airport became operational Thursday morning with the landing of a British Airways aircraft.
The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), which runs Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, said the third runway became operational at 6 a.m. when a British Airways plane from Heathrow landed at the new runway.
“Till 11 a.m., over 60 aircraft had landed at the new runway. All take-offs are taking place from the two old runways,” said a DIAL official.
The third runway had been formally inaugurated Aug 21.
The 4,430-metre long and 75-metre wide runway, called ’11-29′, is the longest in India. The longest runway in Asia is at the Qamdo Bangda Airport in Tibet, which is 5,500 metres long.
Meant to handle new generation aircraft like the wide-bodied Airbus 380 and Antonov 226, Delhi’s new runway is expected to bring down air congestion at the IGI airport.
According to DIAL, the airport will now able to handle 75 take-offs and landings per hours, up from 35-40 during the peak period now.