Airport can handle 300 passengers, will have flight services to eight locations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated an airport building at Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Hindon airbase on Friday for civilian flights under the government’s UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme.

The civilian enclave (an area of a defence airbase used for civilian flights) will commence flight operations from next month. The airport will have a flight service each to Jamnagar, Shimla, Kalaburgi, Kannur, Nasik, Hubli, Faizabad and Pithoragarh. These services will be operated by Ghodawat Airlines, Heritage Aviation, IndiGo and TurboJet.

The airport terminal developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is built on an area of 5,425 sq. km at a cost of ₹40 crore and can handle upto 300 passengers.

Eight check-in counters

The airport has eight check-in counters, two arrival carousels, four frisking booths and a car parking area that can accommodate 90 cars.

The Uttar Pradesh government has contributed by building an approach road that doesn’t pass through the Air Force Station.

“If there is demand beyond non-RCS flights, the authorities concerned, including the IAF and Civil Aviation Ministry, will take a decision on it,” said a senior AAI official.

Got nod in mid-2017

The Civil Aviation Ministry got IAF’s approval in mid-2017 for joint use of the airbase until Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport completes its expansion work and builds the fourth runway. The Hindon facility was proposed as a solution after IGI was unable to provide slots for flights under the government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS).

The scheme, also known as UDAN, provides airlines a subsidy for offering fares capped at ₹2,500 per hour of flight.