Bikaner Airport

Nal Airforce Station, also Bikaner Air Force Station, (IATA: BKB, ICAO: VIBK) is located 13 kilometres (8 mi) west of Bikaner in the state of Rajasthan, India. The civil enclave within is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and regular scheduled flight under UDAN scheme were inaugurated in 2017.[2]

For the airport in Russia with IATA code NAL, see Nalchik Airport.

Bikaner Airport
Nal Airport
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorIndian Air Force
LocationBikaner (India)
Elevation AMSL229 m / 750 ft
Coordinates28°04′14″N 73°12′25″E
Websitewww.nalairport.com
Map
BKB
BKB
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
05/23 2,731 8,960 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2017 - March 2018)
Passengers23195
Aircraft Movement880
source: World Aero Data[1]

History

By 1964, the diversionary Indian Air Force airfield at Nal was built and operationally ready.[3] The civil air terminal as an enclave within the airforce station was inaugurated on 29 June 2014, and on 26 September 2017 regular flight to Delhi was inaugurated by Air India.[2]

The government-owned Vayudoot operated a 20-seater aircraft to this airport in the past but the service was terminated in 1987. The foundation stone of the new terminal was laid in March 2009 by the then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.[4] The airport was expected to be completed in March 2012.[5] A dispute between the AAI and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) regarding height of the terminal building led to delay in starting air services. AAI authorities constructed the building up to the height of 6.75 metres, whereas MoD had permitted a maximum height of 5 metres.[6][7][8] The civil enclave will include a terminal for 100 passengers and a 60 x 90 m apron capable of holding two ATR 72 aircraft.[9] Bikaner Airport construction was completed in August 2013.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger
AirlinesDestinations
Alliance Air Delhi

References
  1. "Nal Airport". World Aero Data. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  2. "Raje inaugurates Bikaner's air termina". The Times of India. 30 June 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  3. PC Lal. My Years with the IAF. Lancer Publishers LLC. p. 158. ISBN 978-1-935501-75-6.
  4. "Bikaner set to have own airport". The Times of India. 3 March 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  5. "MoD nod for building at Bikaner civil airport". The Times of India. 27 November 2011.
  6. "NOC from Ministry of Defence has been received for construction of truce building of the height of 6.75 Meters at Nal Civil Airport at Bikaner". The Thar Express. 28 November 2011. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  7. "नाल एयरपोर्ट के लिए एनओसी मिली". The Dainik Bhaskar. 28 November 2011. Archived from the original on 26 November 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  8. "गस्त 2012 तक उनका विभाग इन दोनों एयरपोर्ट का निर्माण पूरा कर इसे हवाई उड़ानों के लिए तैयार कर देंगे". The Dainik Bhaskar. 4 April 2012. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014.
  9. "Airport Website". Airports Authority of India. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2013.


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