A month after its inauguration, the newly constructed third runway of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi became commercially operational with the landing of a British Airways aircraft early Thursday morning.

"The third runway, all of 4,430 metres long, became operational with the landing of a British Airways plane from Heathrow at 6.20 am," a Delhi International Airport Limited spokesperson said.

The Civil aviation ministry in a meeting chaired by Joint Secretary K N Srivastava, had decided on Wednesday to make the new runway (29-11) commercially operational.

The runway, 4,430-metres long and 75-metres wide, can handle wide-bodied aircraft like Airbus 380 or Antonov 226 and will also ensure that there is less air congestion.

The ministry had decided that the new runway would become operational with the landing of an Air India plane but it landed third as it was given clearance from the Air Traffic Control based on the actual position in the sky.

The ministry had decided that for now, all arrivals would be handled by the existing main runway (28-10) but planes will take off -- as many as possible -- from the new one (29-11).

The ministry has also asked all airlines to send a copy of their winter schedule to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for approval.