Other States - Rajasthan   

Sanganer airport goes international

Special Correspondent

Plan to construct new terminal building Runway to be extended to 12000 feet

JAIPUR: A long cherished dream of Rajasthan has come true with the Ministry of Civil Aviation notifying the existing domestic airport at Sanganer here as an international airport. The Sanganer airport, granted the status of an international airport on December 29, 2005, is one of the 12 modern airports in the country— and 14th international airport— where passenger- friendly facilities have been upgraded and modernised by the Airport Authority of India.

The decision to convert Jaipur airport into an international airport was announced back on February 3, 2004 by the then Union Finance Minister in his interim budget for 2004-05. International flights have been operating from Jaipur to Dubai and Bangkok since February 2002. Presently Sanganer airport, which has a runway of 9000 feet, can accommodate four AB 320- type aircraft at a time. The terminal building, renovated to give an ethnic Rajasthani architectural look, can accommodate 500 passengers at a time and is equipped with all modern passenger amenities including customs and immigration facilities to handle international chartered flights.

The authorities at the airport said that there was a plan to construct a new international terminal building, which would cater to 1000 passengers an hour. There was also a plan to extend the runway to 12000 feet and construct nine in contact parking stands with aerobridges. The trade and tourism circles in the capital have hailed the notification of the first international airport in Rajasthan. "This would give an additional boost to tourism in the State," Vinod Zutshi, the Secretary, Tourism, Rajasthan, observed.

The international status is expected to bring more aeronautical revenue to the Sanganer airport from increased rates of landing and parking and also from charges for route navigational facilities. More international and chartered flights, along with more wide-bodied jets are expected to operate from the airport here which is considered an alternative to the Delhi International Airport, especially during winter season when the visibility gets low in Delhi and at the time when there is additional congestion over the national capital.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Sanganer airport goes international

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu