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IGI Airport in Chaos After Critical ATC Glitch
New Delhi – A significant ATC glitch triggered massive delays at Delhi’s IGI airport on Monday morning, bringing India’s busiest aviation hub to a near standstill and leaving thousands of passengers stranded. The chaos began around 7:30 AM, a peak hour for departures, when a technical failure in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system crippled operations.
The scene at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport was one of widespread disruption, with long queues forming at check-in counters and departure boards displaying a cascade of delayed flights. The technical issue, which affected the primary flight data and radar processing system, created a critical situation for air traffic controllers, severely impacting their ability to manage takeoffs and landings.
What Caused the Delays at Delhi Airport?
Sources at the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which manages ATC services, confirmed the failure impacted the core system used to process flight plans and track aircraft movements. While backup systems and contingency protocols were activated, the transition was not immediate.
Controllers were forced to revert to manual procedures to maintain separation between aircraft, a method that drastically reduces an airport’s handling capacity. As a result:
* Departures were suspended for nearly an hour.
* Incoming flights were placed in holding patterns, circling above Delhi.
* Several aircraft were diverted to alternate airports, including Jaipur and Lucknow.
Ripple Effect Felt Across India’s Aviation Network
The disruption at IGI Airport, the central hub for air travel in India, created a domino effect across the country. A single delayed flight from Delhi to Mumbai led to subsequent delays for its return journey and onward connections to cities like Bengaluru and Kolkata. Airlines warned that this cascading effect would likely disrupt schedules for the rest of the day.
Passengers took to social media to share their frustration. Anurag Sharma, a business traveller flying to Bengaluru, described the situation as “complete chaos.” He added, “We were on the tarmac for over an hour before the pilot announced an indefinite delay due to an ATC issue. The lack of clear information is the most frustrating part.”
Aviation Infrastructure Under Scrutiny
The incident has reignited concerns about the robustness of India’s critical aviation infrastructure. While authorities worked to restore the primary system by late morning, experts believe the event serves as a crucial wake-up call. As India’s aviation sector continues its rapid growth, the technological backbone supporting it must be resilient and equipped with seamless fail-safes.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has reportedly requested a detailed report from the AAI regarding the system failure.
Flight operations are gradually returning to normal, but airlines are still clearing a significant backlog. Passengers are being warned of “consequential delays” throughout the day and are strongly advised to check their flight status with their airline before travelling to the airport.
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