Amritsar: Flight operations at Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji International Airport here will remain suspended for eight hours daily for nearly six months from April 1, as authorities begin major runway and safety upgrades.Airport director Bhupinder said no flights will operate between 1.45pm and 9.45pm till Sept 27 under a notified schedule. The move will affect both domestic and international services, with airlines required to reschedule flights outside the closure window.He said the airport has a 3,658-metre-long runway capable of handling Category-E aircraft. At present, it handles wide-bodied critical aircraft such as the Boeing 747-800, operating on routes to Qatar, Singapore, Birmingham and Gatwick. Under the summer schedule, the airport handles 62 flights, including 40 domestic and 22 international, connecting destinations such as Delhi, Mumbai, Dubai, Doha, Birmingham and London. All flights, he said, will be accommodated in the remaining operational time slots.The temporary suspension is part of extensive runway recarpeting work, along with the development of the runway-end safety area (RESA), installation of energy-efficient LED airfield ground lighting, and implementation of an advanced individual light control monitoring system (ILCMS).Bhupinder said the works are essential to ensure passenger and aircraft safety and to improve the long-term operational efficiency of the runway and airfield. Passengers have been advised to check revised schedules with their airlines and plan travel accordingly during the closure period.
