The civil aviation ministry is planning to send air traffic controllers to Australia for training in simultaneous use of converging runways.
The initiative will increase aircraft handling capacity at Delhi and Mumbai airports, the country's busiest.
"This training will help air traffic controllers use two runways at the same time," said a senior official at the Air Traffic Controllers' Guild. "It may start from April." The emergence of no-frills airlines and expanding services on various international and domestic circuits due to the boom in the aviation industry added to congestion on the ground and in the sky.
Officials say the new measure will deal effectively with the congestion and provide relief to airlines as well as passengers. It is also expected to lead to massive savings in terms of precious fuel that the aircraft of different airlines frequently burn while waiting for their turn to land or take off.
At present, the Air Traffic Control can handle only 25 to 28 planes an hour at Delhi's domestic terminal. The new round of training will ensure that it will be able to handle the huge rush of planes without creating a backlog.
The government has also hired an Australia aviation services firm to carry out simulation studies for efficient management of airspace and runway capacities at Delhi and Mumbai airports. AirServices Australia will also suggest ways to upgrade ground operational infrastructure.
