Chandigarh airport to remain closed from Feb 12 to 26: Here’s why

Chandigarh International Airport will remain closed for two weeks between February 12 and 26 next year due to the ongoing runway repair works.

“During that period, no flight will operate from here,” said airport chief executive officer Sunil Dutt after a notice in this regard was issued on Saturday.

Dutt said all airlines have already been informed about the closure to make required changes in their operations. He said the airport closure was necessary to increase the runway length with technologically advanced treatment.

“The decision is taken nearly two months in advance so that air travellers can change their plans accordingly,” he said.

At present, the Chandigarh airport operates international flights to Dubai and Sharjah while another flight to Bangkok begins on December 11. It has 27 flights in domestic circuit connecting the city to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Srinagar, Leh, Jammu and Jaipur.

Upgrade will facilitate bigger aircraft

The present runway length of 9,000 feet is being increased to 10,200 feet so that wide-bodied aircraft can easily operate from here.

Dutt said that upgraded runway will be a gift for the region as it will allow long-distance flights to Europe, US or Australia.

However, sources said the upgraded runway will not be ready before the end of next year.

The watch hours for civil operations are already truncated due to the repair works. At present, private airlines do not operate after 4pm, while the airport remains closed on all Sundays. This arrangement will be reviewed in March.

Meanwhile, the two-week closure is bound to put pressure on other modes of transport. The three Shatabdi trains plying to Delhi, which provides air connectivity to other parts of the country, often remain jampacked.