Notice to Govt for constuction of additional runways in Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 7 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today issued notices to Union Government and Airport Authority of India (AAI) seeking direction for construction of additional runways at the Delhi Airport, otherwise the country was losing Rs 1.25 crore a day due to hovering of aircrafts in air for hours.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Kailash Gambhir asked the Government, AAI and the Delhi International Airport(P) Ltd (DIAL), the private manager, to file their replies by September 18, the next date of hearing.

The Airlines operating from IGI Airport were incurring huge losses and thousands of passengers were wasting time due to hovering of planes over the airport due to busy runways, said the PIL filed by Counsel Anup Bagai.

''Coupled with other costs like that of running engine and crew pay, the hourly delay per aircraft could be as high as Rs 2.5 lakh including one tonne of aviation fuel. About 550 flight movements take place everyday and if 100 aeroplanes hover for half an hour, then daily loss could be about Rs 1.25 crore,'' said the petition.

The Delhi International Airport(P) Ltd (DIAL), the private consortia, took over the management of the airport six month back, but there was no sign of any improvement in the basic amenities to the passengers.

The AAI should take effective steps in constructing additional runways, taxiways, bays, additional baggage conveyor belts and other amenities for about 16.24 million passengers at the airport, said the petition.

UNI PAT SHB HT1955