Mangalore International Airport to Resume Regular Timings For Flight Operations From June 1

The Mangalore International Airport will resume regular timings for flight operations from June 1, after the completion of the re-carpeting work of the 2.45 km runway in 75 working days on May 28. The MIA kept the runway open daily for 18 domestic and international flights on an average during 14.5 hours while it took 75 days and 529 hours to complete the exercise. The MIA had made provision for installation of runway centre lighting for safety reasons.

The second busiest airport in Karnataka, handling 36 aircraft movement everyday, the MIA initiated the preliminary survey work on January 27 for the exercise. It used 8.5 hours NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) from 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day to re-carpet the runway without impacting operations of scheduled flights. Extending the NOTAM to Sundays too from March 19, the MIA completed the work in 75 days involving 2.51-lakh manhours against the earlier planned 80 days. Asphalt equivalent to laying 82-kms of road (82,696 tonnes) was used by deploying 80 sophisticated equipment.

Meticulous planning executed with clockwork precision meant that the dumper trucks transported the asphalt to the runway where pavers, road compactors and laborers waited to get the day’s work underway.