Varanasi Airport Runway Repairs Halt Flight Operations

Flight operations at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi were suspended for two hours on Tuesday due to technical issues on the runway. The temporary closure was implemented for safety reasons, causing significant disruptions to air travel in the region.

Impact on Air Travel and Passengers

Several flights were diverted to Ayodhya and Lucknow airports while one scheduled flight was cancelled. An IndiGo flight from Delhi was diverted to Ayodhya, and a flight from Pune was sent to Lucknow. Additionally, the IndiGo flight from Varanasi to Hindon was cancelled. Airlines provided necessary assistance to the affected passengers as per standard protocols during the delay.

Reason for Runway Closure

Airport officials stated that the decision to close the runway was taken after pilots reported issues during landing attempts. Maintenance teams conducted urgent cleaning and repair work on the runway surface. Airport Director Punit Gupta confirmed that operations resumed once the safety checks and maintenance tasks were completed, returning air traffic to normal status.

Ongoing Infrastructure Development

The airport is currently undergoing a major expansion project worth approximately Rs 2,870 crore. This development includes building a new terminal and extending the existing runway from 2,750 meters to over 4,000 meters to accommodate larger aircraft. Due to this ongoing construction, night flight operations between 10 PM and 7 AM have remained suspended for the past month. The project also features the construction of the country's first runway underpass tunnel.