Bengaluru: The Kempegowda International Airport started operating round the clock from Monday. There are two new taxiways added to the facility, which is meant to help increase the frequency of arrivals.
The number of flights landing has already increased from 34 to 44 per hour. "The addition was done to support the growing air traffic at the Bengaluru airport. There are two Rapid Exit Taxiways (RET) to increase runway capacity. The RET will enable more aircraft to land, increasing the number of takeoffs and landings," said the spokesperson for BIAL.
The upgradation was carried out in a phased manner in certain parts, involving closure of the runway, and in other parts, partial closure of facilities with minimal impact on airport operations, she said. The facility was shut for some hours from February 19 to April 30. "There were about 80 flights on an average that were impacted during this time. Other services were carried out as usual."
The restaurants inside the airport remained unaffected during the partial closure and owing to the timings of the partial closure, the effect on the eateries outside wasn't drastic, either, she said. "The busiest times are usually mornings and evenings. Since the closure was from 10am to 530 pm, it didn't make much difference to the eateries outside. Business went on as usual."
The summer season being the peak for travellers, the two new taxiways are a boon for the airport operations. The KIA has served 22.85 million people at the end of the financial year 2016-17.
