Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) will carry out major rehabilitation/recarpeting work on its runway 06/24 for a little over a four-month period beginning from January 27.
The work will take place from 9.30 am to 6 pm from Monday to Saturday on all days except Sunday and national holidays until May 31. Airlines will be operating their schedules prior to 9.30 am and after 6 pm in the above-mentioned period.
The 2450-metre-long and 45-metre-wide concrete runway 06/24 was opened for traffic in May 2006, making MIA the first airport in Karnataka not only to have two runways but also the first airport to have a rigid pavement or concrete runway. This rigid pavement runway has since then undergone periodic maintenance. The scheduled rehabilitation/recarpeting will see MIA asphalt or blacktop the runway to the standards specified by the regulator.
The runway will be recarpeted to improve its micro and macro texture, and other allied repairs conceptualised over the years. The recarpeting work also includes the installation of the runway centerline lights which will aid the aircraft operations at night and in low visibility conditions and improvements to RESA. This will enhance safety as suggested by the committee of inquiry that probed the crash of IX 1344 at Kozhikode.
MIA has discussed the recarpeting project with the airline and stakeholders concerned, prior to obtaining regulatory approvals. MIA with the cooperation of airline partners has ensured that the flight timings have been altered to accommodate the all-important runway recarpeting work and there will be no cancellation of flights to any destination – both international and domestic.