Kozhikode: The runway repair works at Kozhikode International Airport at Karipur, scheduled to begin on September 1 will be delayed further. The contractor has not done any preparatory works so far at the airport as the confusion over closing down the runway for 8 hours continues. Airport sources told DC that the approval of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for the runway closure has not come yet.
Several flights to and from Kozhikode have been either withdrawn or rescheduled as AAI had declared that the runway would be closed for 8 hours from September 1 to carry out the repair works.
Sources told DC that the contractor selected for the repair of the runway has not brought any machinery or materials to begin work. It could begin only if the AAI manages to close down the runway for eight hours and even if that is achieved on September 1, the contractor may need additional time to begin the works.
“The contractor may delay it further as he has to do a lot of preparatory works. This could be done only when he gets the tarmac area free after closing down the runway. So the works may not start till September 15,” a senior airport staff told DC.
AAI had originally planned to begin the works on September 15 and the date was advanced as per the instruction of the Kerala government.
“Kozhikode airport operations have been hit badly after the operations of wide bodied aircraft were suspended. Passengers are also suffering due to this. Any delay in commencement of work would result in delay in completion also. So the inconvenience to passengers from the Malabar region will continue for a longer duration,” the official added.
Air India has already announced rescheduling of their domestic flights from Kozhikode from September 1 expecting a runway closure. Several other airlines are also following suit and are either suspending their operations or trying to reschedule them.
