New Delhi:  All radars stopped functioning at Delhi`s international airport, as the systems there crashed at 5:54 pm this evening. Systems have now been restored, but Air Traffic Control had to resort to manually guiding aircraft for about twenty minutes.

Air Traffic Control had reverted to the  older Autotrack 2 system, which had fortunately not been dismantled. Autotrack is the software they use linked to the ATC radar functions.

Airport authorities told NDTV that during the systems crash there were not too many aircraft  in the sky.

VHF audio communications with the aircraft was never lost and the  ATC was able to ensure aircraft were vertically separated safely during the crisis.

Flights are now back to landing and taking off.

BDST: 1958 HRS, July 28, 2010