New Delhi, Jan. 17 -- Delhi airport will likely shut its third runway, 11R/29L, starting mid-February for at least four months. The closure is part of the latest infrastructure upgrade at the country's busiest airport and will coincide with the summer travel rush. According to officials who asked not to be named, authorities have coordinated extensively to avoid the chaos that erupted during similar work last year, when thousands of flights were delayed and the upgrade works had to be abandoned. However, some industry veterans have raised concerns about the timing and whether the planning will prove adequate. "Though runway and ILS works are necessary, with ongoing Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) issues, the government could consider scheduling the repairs at a more convenient time, as this may result in some slot changes during the current winter schedule," an industry veteran said. A meeting on the planned works was held at the Union civil aviation ministry on Thursday, where officials discussed a detailed plan for runway repairs. This will include replacement of instrument landing system (ILS) equipment at both ends of the runway, resurfacing, construction of a new rapid exit taxiway (RET), and extension of the drainage system at the runway end safety area (RESA). Last year, two separate runway closure attempts exposed critical coordination gaps in India's aviation ecosystem. At the time, repairs were abandoned before authorities adopted more rigorous stakeholder consultation processes - including the need for the regulator to step in. While the February-June window comes during the tail end of Delhi's fog season, when low-visibility conditions can already strain operations, it also overlaps with the peak summer travel season. "The work may begin from February 16 and continue until the end of June," an official said. "The target is to complete the work before the monsoon. Pending final clearances, repair work is expected to be done in time." In recent days, the ministry has conducted a series of meetings. "The ministry, along with the DGCA [Directorate General of Civil Aviation], AAI [Airports Authority of India] and airlines has held continuous discussions on the runway work and ILS upgradation since December. Detailed deliberations on the impact on capacity during the closure of RWY 11R/29L have also been carried out," a second official said, requesting anonymity. Runway 11R/29L, commissioned in 2008, underwent minor rehabilitation works in 2017. A third official said detailed discussions with airlines have resulted in a rough estimate of operational changes: the airport is expected to handle around 1,515 aircraft movements daily during the closure period. Delhi airport currently handles about 1,550 flights daily when all four runways are operational. During the April 2025 closure of runway 28/10, the airport handled approximately 200 fewer flights daily - dropping from over 1,200 flights to around 1,000....