Civil aviation ministry initiates steps to decongest Delhi, Mumbai airports

New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry has put in place a number of measures aimed at decongesting the Delhi and Mumbai airports during the summer season. These include freezing the number of hourly movements at the Delhi and Mumbai airports, rapid exits for aircraft from taxiways and the introduction of a clearance delivery system for aircraft.

"Hourly movements at the Delhi airport have been frozen at 35 (flights) during simultaneous use of runway and 30 during single runway operation. Hourly movements at the Mumbai airport have been frozen at 30," the ministry said in a statement Friday.

The clearance delivery system has been introduced for departing aircraft to complete pre-flight checks before entering the runway and standby for immediate take-off when cleared, it said.

The dual runway operation period at Delhi has been extended from nine hours to 10 hours - from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) and Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) have also been asked to expedite commissioning of more rapid exit taxiways at the two metros.