Jaipur: Civil flight operations at Jodhpur Airport will be completely suspended for nearly a month, after the Indian Air Force issued a ‘Notice to Airmen (NOTAM)’ for runway re-carpeting. The closure will take effect from 6:30 PM on March 29 and remain in force until 6:30 PM on April 27, disrupting connectivity to several major cities.
A NOTAM is an official alert issued to pilots, airlines, and aviation authorities about changes such as maintenance work or operational restrictions at airports or in airspace.
The Airports Authority of India clarified that while Jodhpur Airport functions as a civil enclave, the runway itself is controlled by the Indian Air Force. This runway is being resurfaced after nearly seven years.
Although the first phase was initially scheduled to begin on March 1, the work is now set to proceed in stages, with completion expected by May. The runway re-carpeting will be carried out in three phases; under phase 1, there will be partial closure of about one-third of the runway.
Aircraft like the Airbus A320 can operate, but larger planes such as the A321 cannot. In phase 2, there will be complete shutdown of the runway for work on the central section—this will halt all civil flights.
In Phase 3, final repairs will be made allowing limited operations to resume. Jodhpur Airport operates as a joint-use facility, where both civil and military aircraft share a single runway.
Since fighter jets and military aircraft have stricter technical requirements, regular maintenance is essential. Its proximity to the border further adds to its strategic significance, making such upgrades critical.
Currently, Jodhpur is connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad, with around 14 daily flights (28 movements).
Airlines like IndiGo, Air India, and Air India Express have suspended bookings after March 28. All flights will remain cancelled during the closure period. Overall, while the temporary shutdown may inconvenience travellers, authorities stress that the move is essential to ensure long-term safety and operational efficiency.
(IANS)
