After hundreds of flights arriving at and departing from Delhi's Indira Gandhi Airport faced severe delays due to intense fog yesterday, Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia today explained what steps have been taken to avoid similar circumstances in the future.
"Yesterday, Delhi witnessed unprecedented fog wherein visibility fluctuated for several hours, and at times, dropped to zero between 5 AM to 9 AM," Mr Scindia posted on X.
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"The authorities, therefore, were compelled to enforce a shut-down of operations for some time even on CAT III runways (CAT III runways cannot handle Zero-Visibility operations). The decision was taken keeping passenger safety in mind, which remains the foremost priority for all in the aviation ecosystem," he added.
To address the challenges posed by severe weather conditions, Mr Scindia outlined the steps taken and plans for future:
1. Operationalisation of CAT III-Enabled 4th Runway: Delhi Airport has been directed to expedite the operationalization of the CAT III-enabled 4th runway, supplementing the existing CAT III runway. The goal is to meet the approval standards set by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
2. Issuance of SOP for Airlines: The DGCA will soon release a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) aimed at enhancing communication and passenger facilitation for airlines. This measure aims to minimize passenger discomfort caused by flight cancellations and delays attributed to adverse weather conditions.
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"It is my earnest request to all travellers to bear with us during this difficult period. All stakeholders are trying their best to minimize passenger inconvenience. Incidences of unruly behaviour amidst this are unacceptable, and will be dealt with strongly in line with the existing legal provisions," he said.
"I would like to assure everyone that all stakeholders are working round the clock to minimise the fog-related impact."
Delhi's airport on Sunday witnessed chaotic scenes as passengers were stranded for several hours due to delayed flights. While waiting fliers shouted and raised slogans, helpless airlines ground staff and airport personnel tried to bring the situation under control.
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