Kamal Ghorui
Four IAF-controlled civil airports will face temporary shutdowns as their runways need recarpeting for smooth operations of both military and civil aircraft. As the runways at Jodhpur, Srinagar, Pune and Adampur airports will be recarpeted under different schedules this year, civilian flights at these airports will be affected during their respective shutdown periods.Starting with the Jodhpur airport, the IAF has issued a ‘Notice to Airmen (NOTAM)’ for runway re-carpeting and, therefore, civilian flight operations at the airport will remain suspended for nearly a month from Mar 29 to April 27. The runway re-carpeting will be carried out in three phases, and the last phase is expected to be completed by May. Airlines like IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express have already suspended bookings after Mar 28.Since fighter jets and military aircraft have stricter technical requirements, regular maintenance is essential at the airport. Its proximity to the Pakistan border further adds to its strategic significance, making the upgrade essential for IAF. As all four airports are joint-user (civil and military) facilities, runway surfaces at such bases must meet operational requirements of fighter jets and other military aircraft, making periodic maintenance essential.Srinagar airport will be closed on weekends from Aug through mid-Oct. Pune airport is expected to face operational disruptions later in the year. The details of these disruptions, including the schedule, will be announced in due course.Adampur air base in Punjab, the most important air force base near the Pakistan border that played a critical role during Operation Sindoor and where IAF chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh recently reviewed operational preparedness, will undergo runway adjustments after Nov.
