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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Delhi floats tender for 12K plantations to beautify SP Marg
New Delhi Around 12,000 flowering trees and shrubs, including amaltas and bougainvillaea, will be planted along the Sardar Patel Marg to beautify it and a tender has been floated for the same, officials of the Delhi forest and wildlife department said on Wednesday. A similar drive in June 2023—wherein Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena asked the forest department for a five-layered plantation of around six flowering species at the ridge, including chinar and cherry blossoms, in the run-up to the G20 Summit—did not yield desired results, a senior forest department official said on condition of anonymity. The drive focused on the side facing SP Marg as it provided access to visitors and dignitaries commuting between central Delhi and the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. The forest department official said the plantation drive is likely to commence in monsoon season, and fully grown saplings—around 10 to 12 feet high—will be planted. 'The aim is to beautify the initial part of the stretch adjacent to the forest with flowering trees and shrubs. This will make the approach aesthetically pleasing and we are focusing on native species,' the official said. They said over 1,000 each of amaltas, Lagerstroemia speciosa (Queen's crepe myrtle), and Tabebuia rosea (rosy trumpet tree) will be planted, and around 8,400 bougainvillea will be planted, according to the tender. The last date for submitting bids is June 2, as per the tender dated May 26. The forest official said that while the species are not expected to flower this year, there is a possibility some species may flower by next year. Experts, however, questioned the choice of species selected. Environmentalist Pradip Krishen said that barring amaltas, the remaining three species were not native to the ridge. 'Even bougainvillaea may survive in the ridge, but that does not mean it is a good reason to plant it there. Just because a species is able to grow on thin rocky soils, you cannot let ornamental exotic plants be introduced there. On one hand, the forest department says is ecologically restoring the ridge, but at the same time, it is opting for such species which are not native at all,' he said. Delhi has four prominent ridge areas, with a total area of around 7,784 hectares. The largest—the Southern Ridge—is spread over 6,200 hectares. Central Ridge is the next largest, with an area of 864 hectares. The South-Central Ridge in Mehrauli is spread across 626 hectares and the Northern Ridge is spread across 87 hectares. The Nanakpura south-central ridge is spread across seven hectares.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Flights diverted, tensile canopy gives way at Delhi airport
New Delhi: An instense thunderstorm, accompanied by heavy rain and gusty winds of up to 82 km/hr, disrupted flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport early Sunday. The extreme weather event, which swept across large parts of Delhi-NCR late Saturday night, led to the diversion of 49 flights to nearby airports and delayed more than 400 flights through the day. Compounding the situation, roads leading to the airport were waterlogged well into the afternoon, prompting airlines to issue advisories to passengers. Videos widely shared on social media — including by former Delhi CM Atishi — showed a section of the external tensile fabric canopy at Terminal 1 tearing apart due to water accumulation. Water was seen gushing off the canopy toward the Arrival hall and road below. The airport operator, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), called the event a "natural design response". A DIAL spokesperson said: "Delhi experienced an intense thunderstorm with over 80 mm of rainfall and winds touching 70–80 km/hr within a span of 30 to 45 minutes around 2 am. This sudden downpour caused temporary water accumulation in and around the airport, briefly impacting operations." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Addressing the viral video of the canopy, the spokesperson added, "As part of the design's natural response to extreme conditions, a section of the tensile fabric at Terminal 1 adjusted under pressure to help disperse water. There was no structural damage or impact on other areas. Swift action was taken by ground teams to restore normal conditions." Flight diversions occurred between 11.30pm and 4am, according to airport officials. "A total of 49 flights, including 17 international services, were diverted during that period," said one official. Delays, however, continued well into Sunday afternoon due to a ripple effect on operations. Data from FlightRadar24 showed over 400 delayed flights, with an average delay time of 27 minutes. As road access to the airport remained affected, airlines began advising passengers to allow additional travel time and check flight statuses before departure. Air India issued a statement, saying: "Thunderstorms and gusty winds last night impacted flight operations across northern India. Several flights to and from our Delhi hub were diverted, which may result in a cascading effect on our schedules. We urge passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport." IndiGo also posted on X: "Last night's adverse weather continues to affect operations due to airside congestion. While conditions have improved, delays in departures, arrivals, and ground handling may persist."
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Business Standard
23-05-2025
- Business Standard
Delhi airport to cancel or reschedule 100 flights daily from June 15
Passengers flying through Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport should brace for considerable disruptions starting June 15, with airport authorities preparing to cancel or reschedule approximately 100 flights each day for nearly three months. This move comes as part of a critical upgrade to one of the airport's primary runways, the Hindustan Times reported. Runway 28/10 is scheduled to be shut down until mid-September to facilitate the upgrade of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) to CAT III B standards. This technology enables aircraft to land safely during low visibility conditions, which are particularly common during Delhi's dense winter fog. 50 flights to be cancelled daily at Delhi airport, 50 moved to off-peak hours Around 50 daily flights will be cancelled, while another 50 will be shifted to off-peak hours. The airport typically handles an average of 721 arrivals and a similar number of departures daily, the report said. 'After reviewing air traffic flow and aircraft rotations and operational dependencies, about 100 individual flights will need to be either cancelled or shifted to off-peak hours,' said one official, as quoted by the report. A second official added that this plan was discussed in a recent meeting chaired by Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chairman Vipin Kumar. Leading Indian carriers, including the Air India group, IndiGo, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet, presented revised schedules during the meeting. The updated flight rosters are expected to be officially submitted to the ministry in the coming week. April runway shutdown caused delays across major sectors This planned maintenance follows a failed attempt in April, when a similar closure triggered massive delays across the country. Despite early warnings, airlines did not scale back their operations, resulting in widespread chaos and prompting an intervention by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu. The work, which started on April 8, was halted and the runway reopened by May 5 after public outrage and a parliamentary committee's concerns. Officials noted that the April decision to pause maintenance was influenced by the peak travel period during the summer holidays. The closure had reduced the airport's arrival capacity from 46 flights per hour to roughly 36, especially impacting traffic during easterly wind conditions, the report said. ALSO READ: Low travel season chosen to complete pending CAT III B work Authorities are optimistic that resuming the work during the June–September period — when travel demand tends to dip — will allow for smoother operations. 'It's better to take a small hit now than face large-scale delays when the fog sets in. This is all about being better prepared for winter,' said an aviation ministry official, as quoted by the report. To minimise disruption, officials said the adjustments will primarily affect routes with multiple daily flights and lower passenger demand. Revised flight schedules to be announced in advance The civil aviation ministry plans to release revised flight schedules well in advance to help passengers avoid last-minute disruptions during runway maintenance at Delhi airport. Airlines are shifting flights from peak to non-peak hours to manage airport capacity more effectively. The maintenance work is being scheduled during the lean summer period, when aircraft load factors are lower, offering more room for operational adjustments, the news report said.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Delhi: IGI runway work may hit 100 flights daily
Passengers flying through Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport could face significant inconvenience starting next month, with airport authorities deciding to cancel and reschedule about 100 flights daily during a crucial runway maintenance period. Approximately 50 flights will be cancelled and another 50 rescheduled starting June 15 until mid-September, three officials aware of the matter told HT, detailing plans for when runway 28/10 will be shut to upgrade the Instrument Landing System (ILS) to CAT III B standards—instruments that help pilots land in low visibility conditions common during Delhi's foggy winters. The slashing of services comes after a similar attempt in April led to widespread chaos in flight schedules at the country's busiest airport, forcing authorities to abandon the work. An average of 721 arrivals and around an equal number of departures have been scheduled for the typical day during this period, one of the officials said. 'After reviewing air traffic flow and aircraft rotations and operational dependencies, about 100 individual flights will need to be either cancelled or shifted to off-peak hours,' the official cited above said. A second official added that during a meeting chaired by Airports Authority of India (AAI) chairman Vipin Kumar on Wednesday, major Indian airlines (Air India group, IndiGo, Akasa Air and SpiceJet) presented a revised flight schedule. 'The new schedule is expected to be filed (with the ministry as per the rule) in the next week,' the official added. IndiGo and Air India, which have the largest number of services at IGI Airport and therefore need to make most of the adjustments, did not respond to requests for a comment. The April crisis exposed critical coordination gaps in India's aviation ecosystem. Despite being informed well in advance about the runway closure, airlines had not reduced their flight operations, triggering delays that cascaded throughout the country. The work, which began on April 8, was stopped and the runway reopened on May 5 after Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu intervened following widespread passenger complaints and a parliamentary standing committee expressed concerns over the disruptions. The decision to suspend the work and reopen the runway was made keeping in mind the peak summer season travel during April and May, officials said. The April closure resulted in Delhi airport's arrival capacity dropping from about 46 flights per hour to around 36, particularly affecting operations when easterly winds were in effect. A third official said the June-15 to September window is likely to be leaner. 'It's better to take a small hit now than face large-scale delays when the fog sets in. This is all about being better prepared for winter,' this person, who is with the aviation ministry, said, asking not to be named. 'Authorities have worked closely with airlines to ensure these adjustments have minimal impact on passengers,' the first official cited above said. 'Cancellations have been targeted on routes where airlines operate multiple daily flights and where demand is relatively lower, so seat availability on alternate flights remain sufficient.' 'We will be in the non-peak summer period, which means flights are operating with lower load factors; around 70 to 75 percent, compared to 85 percent or more during peak travel times,' a ministry official said. 'This gives us more flexibility to adjust the schedule with minimal disruption.' 'Flights are mainly being rescheduled from peak to non-peak hours to stay within the airport's limited capacity during critical periods,' an airline official requesting anonymity said. 'Airlines are acting in coordination with airport operators and the civil aviation ministry to prevent major disruption later in the year (in the winter).' The coordinated approach this time contrasts sharply with April, when airlines maintained full schedules despite advance notice of the runway closure. Ministry officials said that the updated schedules expected to be filed by airlines next week will give passengers weeks' notice to plan their travel accordingly—unlike April when many passengers faced last-minute delays and cancellations. 'Passengers will be able to choose their flights as per the new schedule, avoiding the chaos that occurred last month,' the official said.
Hans India
22-05-2025
- Climate
- Hans India
'Near-Death Experience': Mid-air scare after Delhi-Srinagar flight faces hailstorm
Srinagar/New Delhi: Over 200 passengers on IndiGo flight 6E 2142 from Delhi to Srinagar had a scary experience when the plane faced a sudden hailstorm, people familiar with the matter said. Airport officials said the plane landed safely at 6:30pm at Srinagar airport. In a statement, the airline said the flight and cabin crew followed established protocol and the aircraft landed safely in Srinagar. 'The airport team attended to the customers after arrival of the aircraft, prioritizing their well-being and comfort. The aircraft will be released post necessary inspection and maintenance,' the statement said. An official at Srinagar airport said the aircrew and passengers are safe and the plane was declared 'aircraft on ground' by the airline. 'I was in the plane and am heading back home from Srinagar. It was a near death experience. The nose of the plane is was panic and people were screaming. Everyone was scared,' said Owais Maqbool on X. Flights diverted Meanwhile, at least 10 flights were diverted to nearby airports, and over 50 flights delayed between 7:45pm and 8:45pm, officials aware of the matter said. An intense dust storm, followed by intense showers and hail hit New Delhi on Wednesday evening, impacting flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI). The flights were impacted due to wind shear -- strong winds blowing in the opposing direction and rain, officials said. Both take-offs and landings are impacted in such a scenario. IMD officials said a peak wind speed of 74 km/hr was reported at around 8 pm. Palam also recorded a sharp drop in temperature — from 37°C at 7:30 pm to 23°C at 8:30 pm. In a post on X, Air India issued a travel advisory asking passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport and to allow extra time for the journey. Indigo said heavy rains and thunderstorms in Delhi, Chandigarh and Kolkata was impacting flights and asked passengers to check their flight status before heading for the airport. There are chances of a similar dust storm and thunderstorm on Friday as well with gusty winds likely to touch 50 km/hr. No such storm is forecast on Thursday. There was also a sharp fall in temperature following this spell, dipping from 37°C at around 7:30 pm at Palam to 23°C at 8:30 pm. IMD data showed 12.1mm of rainfall was recorded at Safdarjung till 8:30 pm; 2.1mm at Palam; 13.5mm at Mayur Vihar and 5mm at Pitampura.
