Indira Gandhi International Airport closed runway 29L/11R at midnight Thursday for rehabilitation work that will extend until May 25, 2026, according to a Notice to Airmen issued by the Airports Authority of India.
Runway 29L/11R was the third runway built at IGI Airport out of its total four runways. It is the southern-most runway, to the extreme left when viewed from NH-48, and the one used for most international and T3 arrivals.
Engineering an Upgrade
Delhi International Airport had announced in January that its rehabilitation programme would focus on key updates, including resurfacing the runway, building a new rapid exit taxiway, and installing an upgraded Instrument Landing System. The runway, which opened in 2008, needs improvements to boost safety, operational resilience, and accommodate future growth.
The project will involve several key tasks, including milling and resurfacing flexible sections of the runway and taxiway. Crews will also lay Dense Bituminous Macadam and Bituminous Concrete, while approximately 2,000 Airfield Ground Lighting fixtures will be removed and reinstalled over an area of 500,000 square metres. Additionally, the project will upgrade rigid pavements over 39,000 metres, apply new pavement markings, and replace windsock cabling and electrical systems.
Operational Resilience
The airport currently handles around 1,520 flights each day. During the rehabilitation period, DIAL plans to maintain a scheduled movement capacity of 1,514 flights daily. Airlines and Air Traffic Control have been informed, and operational plans are in place to ensure that services continue smoothly, according to the airport operator, DIAL had said in January.
Over 15 taxiways will also be unavailable during the closure, while runway 09/27 will remain reserved for VVIP, state, defence and designated civil flights. DIAL has held multiple consultations with the Airports Authority of India and other stakeholders to assess operational impact.
“The rehabilitation of Runway 11R/29L is a crucial infrastructure project to ensure long-term operational safety, efficiency and compliance with global aviation standards,” DIAL chief executive officer Videh Kumar Jaipuriar had said in January.
The closure was originally scheduled for February 16 but was deferred due to the India Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit 2026 held in the national capital last week.