Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport's new runway would start commercial operations from September end in a phased manner.

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the consortium which manages the airport in Delhi, has informed the Ministry of Civil Aviation about the date when the operations on new runway would start next month.

In the first phase, which would last for two weeks, the new runway would be used in tandem with existing runways for a few hours.

In the next phase the usage would be increased up to 16 hours a day. During this phase, the pilots would also be getting experience of the runway during night operations.

In the third and final phase the new runway will be operated in line with ATC procedure for landing.

The GMR group official spokesperson stated that the gradual progression would give ATC, pilots and the airport operator experience on operating on the new infrastructure in tandem with the existing runways.

The decision to start operations after carrying out of successful trial flights at the new runway by Air India, Kingfisher, Indigo and Jet Airways aircraft on August 21, 2008.