According to the directive, the primary runways will be used only for take-offs and the secondary ones for landings. Several airlines feel that this can cause further delays and that both runways “cannot be used optimally”. “From 5.30 am to 8.30 am, 99 per cent of the flight movement is exclusively take-offs. If the DGCA directive is implemented, it will not be decreasing load as only one runway will remain in use,” said a seniorJetlite official.

DIAL will also have to construct more taxiways and segregate the existing ones to ensure smooth movement of planes on the ground. “Also, more taxiways will mean even lesser parking bays,” said a senior Air India official. International aircraft, using the secondary runway, will be landing further away from their parking space near Terminal 2.

The maintenance time of the runways, which is done usually in the afternoon at present, will also be affected. “If you have to use both runways simultaneously, the maintenance work will have to be done at night,” said Ajay Jasra of Spice Jet.

Kanu Gohain of the DGCA said it would take some time for this policy decision to be implemented. “We will have to train the Air Traffic Control staff and the ground staff first,” he said. The decision was made in view of the increasing number of near-misses at the Delhi airport, which happen because two planes are allowed to take off simultaneously from the two runways.

Aviation experts and some other airlines have, however, welcomed the decision. “From the safety point of view the decision is a positive one. It will minimise human error,” said aviation expert Gurcharan Bhature. D S Kohli of Air India said: “This would mean the airlines will spend less time on ground and air.”