4 days ago
Lucknow's CCSIA restores 24-hr operations after runway upgrade
After nearly five months of partial shutdown, the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA) in Lucknow resumed 24-hour flight operations, after the successful completion of a large-scale runway recarpeting and infrastructure upgrade project, which had temporarily curtailed daily flight schedules. For representation only (HT File Photo)
The airport underwent significant modernisation, including recarpeting of the main runway and taxiways, covering an area of 1.80 lakh square metres.
During this period complete overhaul of the airfield ground lighting (AGL) system was also performed, with halogen lights replaced by energy-efficient LED lighting, resulting in over 50% energy savings.
CM's intervention
The recarpeting work began on March 1, 2025, with the runway closed daily from 10 a m to 6 pm, impacting regular operations.
As flight disruptions grew, on the demand of air travellers chief minister Yogi Adityanath intervened in late March, directing airport authorities to minimise public inconvenience. Following his instructions, the work hours were revised to 11 am to 5 pm from March 21.
This allowed airlines to operate more flights during early morning and late evening hours, especially during the busy summer travel season.
In a further move to accommodate increased traffic, work hours were shortened again from July 16 to August 15, allowing operations from early morning till 11 am, and from 3 pm onwards.
This phased relaxation helped restore over 90% of regular operations even before the project's final completion.
Impact on Flights
During peak construction, daily aircraft movements dropped to around 132 per day, from a regular average of 144 plus flights per day.
Airlines rescheduled hundreds of flights to early morning or late evening slots to avoid cancellations.
Airport officials have clarified that the majority were rescheduled, not cancelled, due to proactive coordination initiated after CM Yogi's directives.
By mid-July, 20-hour operations had resumed, with recarpeting 90% complete.
Final touches concluded by mid-August 15, and the airport is now back to full 24/7 flight operations.
A senior official from CCSI Airport said, 'We are grateful for the cooperation from airlines and passengers.'
