SVPIA was the busiest airport in Gujarat with over 200 flights every day in pre-Covid times. The challenge of recarpeting the runway without impacting the operations of scheduled flights was tackled by Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) by using only nine hours of NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) daily
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) at Ahmedabad, managed by the Adani Group, has completed the recarpeting work on its 3.5-kilometre-long runway in a record time of 75 days. This duration is an all-time best among brownfield runways in India.
SVPIA was the busiest airport in Gujarat with over 200 flights every day in pre-Covid times. The challenge of recarpeting the runway without impacting the operations of scheduled flights was tackled by Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) by using only nine hours of NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) daily. During the 75 days it took to complete the project, SVPIA kept the runway open daily for 160 flights on an average during the remaining 15 hours of the day.
The quantum of asphalt laid for the recarpeting was equivalent to a 200 km stretch of road, while the concrete used for the runway drainage system was sufficient to build a 40-storied structure.
In addition to other upgrading works completed at SVPIA, the airport now has a complete airfield lighting system in runway and connecting taxiways that is equivalent to lighting an entire district of 12 to 14 villages
The project was earlier planned for 200 working days starting from November 10, 2021. However, in keeping with the brand’s continued endeavour to improve operational efficiency and reduce inconvenience to passengers, the Adani Group had reset the target to 90 days by increasing the resources. Subsequently, SVPIA’s project team completed the work in just 75 days. The project entailed the support of 1 Mn safe manhours and 600 individuals featuring staff and workmen along with over 200 sophisticated pieces of equipment.
SVPIA’s recarpeting record is all the more significant as other brownfield Indian airports like Mumbai, Kochi, New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad had more time at hand or had access to an additional runway.
When the Adani Group took over SVPIA’s management in November 2020, AAHL realized that the riding quality of the runway was sub optimal, and that the runway had drainage constraints. The runway recarpeting project was estimated to be completed in two phases, spanning three calendar years, as per industry standards. But AAHL took up the challenge to complete the entire work in as short a span of time as possible.
In addition to other upgrading works completed at SVPIA, the airport now has a complete airfield lighting system in runway and connecting taxiways that is equivalent to lighting an entire district of 12 to 14 villages.
*********************************************************************
Readers
These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.
Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world. We have taken the small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.
Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.
In these difficult times, to run a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will makes a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.
For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com