Delhi Airport to get high-tech control tower

As part of the initiative to improve air traffic services in the country, the Indira Gandhi International (IGI)Airport in the national capital will very soon have a high-tech airtraffic control tower fitted with the latest communication andnavigational equipment, which will allow a 360 degree view of thethree runaways, apron area and taxiway.

The 102 m high-tech air traffic control tower, which is being built ata cost of Rs. 350 crore, will have 21 controller positions in its visual control room and 12 ground controller positions at operational level.

Training hard to cope-up with the growing challenges in the sky, theAirports Authority of India (AAI) officials are undergoing a training on Integrated Air Traffic Simulators to provide better air traffic service.

The challenge for the AAI officials, however, is to manage the air traffic while shifting from old to new facility.

"That is a first phase. After that, we call it shadow operation. That system will be run for three days or so. Our team will be working hard almost 12 to 18 hours a day," said A.K. Bhardwaj, GM, ATM, IGI Airport.

The new air traffic control tower is part of the initiative to improve the air traffic services in the country.

"It is always a complex process to change from one live air traffic control environment to second air traffic control environment. There is a process defined (and) well-established through safety

procedures," Jt. GM, ATM Ashish Srivastava stated.

"So, initially there should be a control training there after controllers are put on parallel operations. They will be monitoring the traffic. They will be doing all system jobs, sitting live on

parallel with the old system," he added.

The growing flow of air traffic at major airports in the country has created a challenge for the authorities. With the new system, the AAI aims to improve operational efficiency.