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Runway troubles at Goa airport to end in two days: Navy
Runway troubles at Goa airport following accidental spillage of aviation turbine fuel are likely to end in the next two days, even as three flights were diverted from Panaji today.
Runway troubles at Goa airport following accidental spillage of aviation turbine fuel are likely to end in the next two days, even as three flights were diverted from Panaji on Wednesday.
Indian Navy's public relation officer Commander P Mathur said on Wednesday that the work is in full-swing and it will be completed by October 29 evening throwing open the entire runway for the air traffic.
The runway has been shortened from 11,000 feet to 6,900 feet following accidental spillage of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) on it on October 23.
Airport sources said the pilots of the three flights decided not to land at Goa airport due to safety reasons.
The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) had assured to undertake the cost of repairs but it was not in position to issue work order for the repairs immediately, Mathur said.
"In the absence of work order by the IOC, Navy has taken up the repairs," he said.
The work is being closely monitored by the naval authorities and experts have been called in to get the repair work of high quality, he added.
Three flights, including a charter flight carrying 374 passengers from Amsterdam, was diverted from the airport to Colombo this morning, Goa Airport Director D Paul Manickam said.
A Doha-Goa Qatar Airways flight carrying 127 passengers was diverted to Bangalore while a Mumbai-Goa Jet Airways flight was sent back to Mumbai, he added.
