AAI plans to operate both runways at Chennai airport simultaneously

CHENNAI: Airport sources said currently, per hour, about 30 flights are being operated in the Chennai airport. But now the AAI is planning to operate both the runways simultaneously and increase the number of flight operations to 50 per hour.

The Chennai airport consists of two runways, the primary runway is 3.66 km long and the secondary runway is 2.89 km. All the ATR flights would be operated on the secondary runway. Airport officials said the secondary runway could not be used all the time since there are high buildings and towers in Kolapakkam.

AAI is now planning to increase the length of the secondary runway same as the primary runway. It is planning to use the primary runway for the departure of flights and the secondary runway for the arrival of all the flights and departure of the ATR flights. Currently, all the staff in the Chennai ATC are being trained on how to handle and operate both runways at the same time. Once the training gets over, the runway will get modified and both the runways would be used on a trial basis and later would be made permanent. The officials are also working on modifying the taxiways in the airport so that the flights would arrive and depart from Chennai quickly and there will be no congestion. Modifying work would be completed in July.