The new Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here will become fully operational in October 2018, Parliament was informed today.
The construction of the new ATC tower has been completed and new equipment has been installed, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said in reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
However, before the new tower becomes functional, the equipment needs to be tested and the staff has to be trained, he added.
"As per the plan, the shadow mode of operations at the new ATC commences from April, 2018 and the tower becomes fully operational by October 2018," Sinha said.
Shadow operations is a trial phase where the functions carried out at the new ATC are monitored by the old ATC and the latter takes over in case of an urgent need.
At 102 metres, the new ATC tower is among the tallest in the world. Its height will allow a 360 degree view of all the three runways, apron area and taxiway at both international as well as domestic terminals.
The construction of the ATC tower commenced in 2012 and has been built at a cost of Rs 350 crore.
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