TIRUCHI: The delay in commissioning the extended runway of the Tiruchi airport has come as a disappointment to the air travel trade and air operators.

The extension project, which began in March 2004, has not only overshot the original completion time of 12 months but also the subsequent target dates put forward by airport authorities.

Though the civil works on the extension, from 6,100 feet to nearly 8,000 feet sanctioned at a cost of Rs.26 crore, were completed a couple of months ago, the calibration of the glide path is still awaited.

The airport officials planned to commission the runway on January 1 without waiting for the calibration of the relocated Instrument Landing System. However, the Airports Authority of India has asked them to wait till the exercise is over. While the airport officials expect the AAI's special flight to arrive soon for carrying out the exercise, the wait has been proved quite long.

Furthermore, re-laying the `top layer' of the existing runway has also run into problems following a dispute between the contractor and the AAI.

This will impact the smoothness of the ride of the aircraft, air operators say. It could take some more months for the work to be completed.

Though airport officials say these are not major operational impediments, the air operators have been expressing doubts about the "operational availability" of the runway and the strength of the apron.

A technical team of Air India Express, after a recent visit to assess the infrastructure available at the airport, raised doubts about the strength of the apron to withstand the Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

The airline planned to introduce services to Dubai from here, but had to postpone the move. Work on strengthening the apron began recently.

International services

A few other airlines, including Indian, had drawn up plans to introduce international services from Tiruchi but deferred them to the disappointment of the travel industry, says the director of a leading air travel agency in the city. With the new terminal building coming up fast, it is essential that the AAI expedite the commissioning of the runway to facilitate introduction of more services, he says.

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