KIA is first South Indian airport with two operational runways

Upgraded with a brand new asphalted surface and two new taxiways, the North Runway of the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) commenced operations on Thursday. With this, the KIA has become South India’s first airport to have operational parallel runways.

The enhancements will now give airport the flexibility to operate both runways in low visibility and adverse weather conditions, a Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) spokesperson said.

The operations began after the formal approval of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Closed for operations since June 2020, the North Runway has been refurbished, including the strengthening of the surface with fresh layers of asphalt and the addition of two new taxiways to enable efficient runway operations.

The runway will continue to be categorised as CAT-I Instrument Landing System (ILS). However, it now has new installations such as LED Runway Centreline Lighting, Inset Runway Edge Lights and Taxiway Centreline Lighting and two new mid-point Transmissometers. All these installations will be commissioned later this year.

With the CAT IIIB-equipped South Runway becoming operational since December 6, 2019, the KIA’s operational flexibility has increased.

“The enhanced equipment enable aircraft to take off from the North Runway with a Runway Visual Range (RVR) of 125 metres and land at 550 metres RVR. The South Runway is designated as RWY 09R/27L, while the North Runway is RWY 09L/27R,” BIAL said.

The airport had initially proposed an upgrade of the North Runway to CAT IIIB. However, based on the outcome of stakeholder consultations and considering the drop in traffic due to the pandemic, the runway will remain CAT I-compliant, the spokesperson said.

Besides, “given that low visibility weather conditions at the KIA usually occur during limited periods each year, one CAT IIIB compliant South Runway should suffice for seamless operations, in the near term.”