The Airports Authority of India (AAI) released its AIP Supplement (34/2020) today for closure of runway 09L/27R at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru due to runway rehabilitation works and upgrading the runway from CAT I to CAT III. Runway 09L/27R will be closed for all operations starting 26th March 2020 until 4th November 2020 – a total of 223 days. A formal NOTAM is expected soon.
The new runway at the airport which was commissioned in December 2019 is fitted with Category III lighting system but is not yet CAT III certified. The operations were initially restricted to day light hours and only take-off.
The work will also mean closure of all taxi-ways connecting runway 09L/27R and all traffic being handled by the new runway 09R/27L. Certain stands will also be non-operational for this period. In case of exigencies / disabled aircraft on the runway or blockage due to technical reasons, the airport will be closed for operations. Four stands have been earmarked for Code F aircraft (A380) but currently the airport does not see any scheduled A380 operations.
The older runway at Bengaluru airport which will now be closed has already seen two closures in the past for re-carpeting and building of Rapid Exit Taxiways (RET). The airport is in the process of building an additional Terminal – T2.
The airport has been growing at a rapid pace and saw KLM start operations recently and Lufthansa will add a flight to Munich this summer, in addition to its daily operations to Frankfurt. JAL will also launch flights to Bengaluru.
The use of runway 09R/27L for this period could mean additional taxi times for the airlines and adjustments of block times.
NetworkThoughts 
Would this translate to longer Taxiing times?
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Certainly it will
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