Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport

Last updated

Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport
Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport Logo.png
The front facade of Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport, Andal, Durgapur.jpg
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerBengal Aerotropolis Projects Limited (BAPL)
Government of West Bengal
Changi Airport Group
Operator Airports Authority of India
Serves Durgapur
Asansol
Location Andal, Durgapur, West Bengal,
Flag of India.svg  India
Opened18 May 2015;9 years ago (2015-05-18)
Elevation  AMSL 302 ft / 92 m
Coordinates 23°37′17″N87°14′36″E / 23.62139°N 87.24333°E / 23.62139; 87.24333
Website
Map
West Bengal location map.svg
Airplane silhouette.svg
RDP
Location in West Bengal
India location map.svg
Airplane silhouette.svg
RDP
RDP (India)
Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport
Runways
Direction LengthSurface
mft
16/342,8009,186 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2023 – March 2024)
Passengers514,760 (Increase2.svg 4.6%)
Aircraft movements3,234 (Decrease2.svg 0.5%)
Cargo tonnage491 (Increase2.svg 1.8%)
Source: AAI [2] [3] [4]

Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport( IATA : RDP, ICAO : VEDG), also known as Durgapur Airport, [5] [6] is a domestic airport mainly serving the cities of Durgapur and Asansol. It is located at the Andal region of Durgapur in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is named after the renowned Bengali poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam. The airport is roughly 17 km from Durgapur’s City Centre, 20 km from Raniganj Bus stop and 34 km from Asansol’s City Bus Terminus.

Contents

The airport's hinterland comprises the towns and cities of Durgapur, Asansol, Chittaranjan, Bardhaman, Bankura, Bishnupur, Purulia, Raniganj, Sainthia, Suri, Bolpur, Rampurhat in West Bengal and Dhanbad & Bokaro in Jharkhand. It is part of the country's first private sector Aerotropolis, being developed by Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Limited (BAPL) in Andal, Durgapur. The airport was officially inaugurated on 19 September 2013 by the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee. [7] According to 2023–24 data,the airport is the third busiest airport of West Bengal and the 58th-busiest airport of India. [8]

History

Construction planning

The project was conceived in 2006–07 during the Left Front government. The construction of the airport was completed on 2013. But for several reasons, the airport did not receive final operational clearance from the aviation regulator DGCA until 24 April 2015. Regular Commercial Flights started from 2015. [9]

Commencement of the airport

On 10 May 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first passenger to use the new airport when he flew out to Delhi, aboard an Indian Air Force Boeing 737 VIP aircraft, even before commercial airlines started their regular service from the airport. [10] Scheduled commercial operation commenced on 18 May 2015. [11] Another airline, Zoom Air, also begun flights on the Delhi – DurgapurKolkata route but after three months the flight was stopped due to lack of passengers. The airport gained popularity in 2018 with connections to Delhi and Hyderabad by Air India and to Mumbai and Chennai in October 2019 by SpiceJet.

Plan

The airport has been built over 650 acres (can be expanded more at the future) at a cost of 600 crore (US$72 million). [12] The airport has 70% open green space for facilitating fresh green environment within the airport area.

Future Development

Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Group is planning to invest in the infrastructure development of Durgapur airport. [13] A source close to the development said: “JSW Infra is likely to do some work in Durgapur Airport. It may be for development of the airport city along with managing the airport. There is a lot of scope in an airport city like developing IT park and other facilities.”

Ownership

The State Government also has a 26.05% stake through West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation. Singapore's Changi Airports International (CAI) has a 30.21% stake in BAPL. Other Indian promoters include IL&FS, Pragati Social Infrastructure & Development, Pragati 47, Lend Lease Company India and Citystar Infrastructure.

Infrastructure

Air Traffic Control Tower Air Traffic Control, KNI Airport, Andal, Durgapur.jpg
Air Traffic Control Tower

Terminal

The 5,750 square metre passenger terminal building has a capacity of 1 million passengers per annum and can be expanded in the future to a capacity to 2.5 million per annum. It has six check-in counters with Common Use Terminal equipment (CUTE) in the departure lounge and two baggage conveyor belts at the arrival hall. [14] The airport is equipped with category VI firefighting and rescue capability. [14] The terminal has ATMs, Wi-Fi Services, a Ticket Booking Counter, F & B Outlets, and Cab Booking Services.

Runway

The airport's 2,800-meter runway (which is expandable up to 3,315-metre) is equipped with a CAT I instrument landing system (ILS) and can handle narrow-body aircraft like Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. The airport apron has four parking bays and a Helipad.

Airlines and destinations

After inauguration, this airport had flights to Kolkata by Alliance Air, SpiceJet , and Air India. However, the flight was discontinued after few months. Over the next few years, the airport gained connectivity to other major metro cities via IndiGo.

As of November2024, the following airlines operates direct flights from the airport:

AirlinesDestinationsRefs
IndiGo Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, [15] Delhi, Guwahati, [16] Hyderabad, Mumbai, Siliguri [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

IndiGo flights operating to/ from Durgapur Airport

Domestic:


Below is the link to book to book ticket, scroll to the bottom of the page to choose the flight directly.

https://www.goindigo.in/airport-directory/india/durgapur-rdp.html

Connectivity

Roads

The airport is conveniently connected to Durgapur by road. It is also connected to Raniganj and Asansol through National Highway 19. There are dedicated transport options available to reach the airport and reach passengers’ desired destinations from the airport.

Railway

The closest railway station to the airport is Andal Junction (UDL), which is around 10 km away from the airport and other nearby railway stations are Waria (OYR), Raniganj (RNG) Durgapur (DGR) which are around 18 km and 20 km away by road.

Statistics

YearPassengersPassengers % changeAircraft MovementAircraft Movement % change
2023–20245,14,760Increase2.svg4.60%3,234Decrease2.svg0.5%
2022–20234,92,020Increase2.svg96.8%3,344Increase2.svg73.6%
2021–20222,49,975 [22] Increase2.svg188.78%1,926 [23] Increase2.svg200.94%
2020–202186,561Decrease2.svg 49.42%640Decrease2.svg 57.97%
2019–20201,71,155 [24] Increase2.svg272.8% [24] 1,523 [25] Increase2.svg239.2% [25]
2018–201945,907 [24] Increase2.svg846.47%385Increase2.svg63.1%
2017–20185,377Decrease2.svg-6.9% [8] Increase2.svg [26]
2016–20175,950 [27] Decrease2.svg-30.1%236 [28] Decrease2.svg-53.4%
2015–20168,515 [27] 506 [28]

Busiest routes

Busiest routes to and from Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport (Till March 2023) [24]
RankAirportTotal
passengers
Change
2022/ 23
1 Chennai 17,4901000
2 Mumbai 16,3411200
3 Delhi 16,1711600
4 Hyderabad 15,6431800

Accidents and Incidents

On 1 May 2022, a SpiceJet Boeing 737–800 aircraft VT-SLH operating from Mumbai to Durgapur as SG-945, encountered severe turbulence while descending at Durgapur, injuring 14 passengers and 3 flight attendants out of 195 occupants (including two pilots and four flight attendants). [29] [30] A passenger, Akbar Ansari (48), died of a spinal injury five months later. [31]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport</span> International airport serving Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Kolkata and the Kolkata metropolitan area. It is the primary aviation hub for eastern and northeastern India. It is located approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) from the city centre. The airport is locally known as Kolkata Airport and Dum Dum Airport before being renamed in 1995 after Subhas Chandra Bose, one of the most prominent leaders of the Indian independence movement. The airport's IATA code CCU is associated with "Calcutta", the former legal name of the city. Opened in 1924, Kolkata Airport is one of the oldest airports in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asansol</span> Industrial city in West Bengal, India

Asansol is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the second largest city in West Bengal. It is the 33rd largest urban agglomeration in India by population. Asansol is the district headquarters of Paschim Bardhaman district. According to a 2010 report released by the International Institute for Environment and Development, a UK-based policy research non-governmental body, Asansol was ranked 11th among Indian cities and 42nd in the world in its list of 100 fastest-growing cities. Asansol is classed as a Y-category city for calculation of HRA for public servants making it a "Tier-II" city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bagdogra Airport</span> Airport in Siliguri, West Bengal, India

Bagdogra Airport is a customs airport serving the city of Siliguri in West Bengal, India. It is located in Bagdogra, 12 km (7.5 mi) south-west from the city centre. It is operated as a civil enclave at Bagdogra Air Force Station of the Indian Air Force. It is the gateway to the hill stations of Darjeeling, Gangtok, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Mirik and other parts of North Bengal region. Siliguri, being a major transport and economic hub, the airport sees thousands of travellers and tourists annually. The Government of India conferred limited international airport status to the airport in 2002 with limited international operations to Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi and Paro. This is the second busiest airport in West Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Prakash Narayan Airport</span> International airport in Patna, Bihar, India

Jay Prakash Narayan Airport is an domestic airport serving Patna, the capital of Bihar, India. It is named after the independence activist and political leader, Jayprakash Narayan. It is the 15th busiest airport in India. To meet demand, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is working to expand and modernise airport infrastructure. The airport is currently undergoing an ambitious expansion project that includes a new two-level passenger terminal, which will be completed by May 2024. Patna Airport is enabled with Digi Yatra facility from July 2024, passengers traveling from Patna Airport can avail it for seamless check-in experience and save their time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport</span> International airport serving Guwahati, Assam, India

Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, or Guwahati Airport, is an international airport serving Guwahati in Assam, India. It is the primary airport of North-East India, and the 12th busiest airport in India. It is located at Borjhar, 26 km (16 mi) from Dispur, the capital city of Assam and 28 km (18 mi) from Guwahati. It is named after Gopinath Bordoloi, a freedom fighter and the first Chief Minister of Assam after India's independence. The airport is managed by Airports Authority of India and serves as an Indian Air Force base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport</span> International airport in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport is an international airport serving Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located at Babatpur, 26 km (16 mi) northwest of Varanasi. Formerly known as Varanasi Airport, it was officially renamed after Lal Bahadur Shastri, the 2nd Prime Minister of India, in October 2005. It is the 20th-busiest airport in India in terms of passenger movement, and the second-busiest airport in Uttar Pradesh. The airport is awarded as the best airport in Asia-Pacific in 2020 by Airports Council International. It is the first airport in India to make announcements in Sanskrit language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dimapur Airport</span> Airport of Nagaland, India

Dimapur Airport is a domestic airport serving Chümoukedima–Dimapur and its neighbouring areas. It is located between the districts of Chümoukedima and Dimapur, from where National Highway 29 passes just beside the airport. It is the only airport in the state of Nagaland. The terminal building can handle 500 departing and 300 arriving passengers, and was built during World War II. There are plans for expansion of the airport to meet international norms by acquiring land at Aoyimti Village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bilasa Devi Kevat Airport</span> Airport in Chhattisgarh India

Bilasa Devi Kevat Airport, also known as Bilaspur Airport, is a domestic airport serving the city of Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India. It is located at Chakarbhata, 10 km (6.2 mi) south from the city centre. The airport made by the Royal Indian Air Force in 1942, making it the first and oldest airport of Chhattisgarh. It is owned by the Airports Authority of India. In 1980s, the airport was used by Vayudoot to provide flights to Bhopal, Nagpur, Mumbai and Delhi. Currently, commercial scheduled flights are operated by Alliance Air to Bhopal, Delhi, Jabalpur and Prayagraj. It is named after Bilasa Bai Kevtin, a renowned 16th-century personality known for her bravery and courage to fight against difficult situations, who belonged to a fishermen tribe residing near the Arpa River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belgaum Airport</span> Airport in Belgaum, Karnataka, India

Belgaum Airport, also known as Belagavi Airport, is a domestic airport serving Belgaum, Karnataka. The current integrated terminal building was inaugurated by the then Minister of Civil Aviation, Ashok Gajapathi Raju on 14 September 2017. Near the airport, there is an Indian Air Force station, where new recruits receive basic training.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport</span> International airport in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India

Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport is an international airport serving the city of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the busiest airport in Central India and is located 8 km (5.0 mi) west of Indore. According to the statistics released by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the agency responsible for the maintenance and management of the airport, it was the 18th busiest airport in India by passenger traffic in the year 2018-19. The airport is named after Ahilyabai Holkar, the Rani of the erstwhile Indore State. Since 24 March 2018, it has started operations 24*7 with night landing facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kolhapur Airport</span> Airport in Maharashtra, India

Kolhapur Airport, officially named as Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj Airport, is a domestic airport serving the city of Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. It is situated at Ujlaiwadi, 9 km (5.6 mi) southeast from the city. It is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport</span> Domestic airport in Leh, Ladakh, India

Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport is a domestic airport serving Leh, the capital of Ladakh, India. Situated at 3,256 m (10,682 ft) above mean sea level, it is the highest commercial airport in India and one of the highest in the world. The airport is named after 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, a Buddhist monk whose Spituk Monastery is in vicinity to the airfield. Due to its location in between the Himalayas, the approach to Leh Airport is one of the most challenging and scenic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shillong Airport</span> Airport of Meghalaya

Shillong Airport is a domestic airport serving Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, India. It is located at Umroi, situated 30 km (19 mi) from the city centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaisalmer Airport</span> Airport of Rajasthan, India

Jaisalmer Airport is a domestic airport serving Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India. It is located 12.6 kilometres (7.8 mi) from the city centre. The airport operates as a civil enclave on an Indian Air Force base.

Keshod Airport is a domestic airport serving the cities of Junagadh, Keshod and Veraval in the state of Gujarat, India. Spread over an area of 450 acres, it is located at Keshod, 39 km (24 mi) south-west of Junagadh, 4 km (2.5 mi) north-east of Keshod and 50 km (31 mi) north of Veraval.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veer Surendra Sai Airport</span> Airport in Odisha, India

Bira Surendra Sai Airport, also known as Jharsuguda Airport, is a domestic airport serving Jharsuguda, Odisha, India. The airport is located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north-east from the city centre. The airport is located in Durlaga village, approximately 8.5 km (5.3 mi) from Jharsuguda Junction Railway Station. The airport is named after the revolutionary Bira Surendra Sai and it is the second commercial airport in the state of Odisha. The airport caters to areas like districts of Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundergarh, Bargarh, Debagarh, Bolangir, Subarnapur, Boudh of Orissa and Raigarh, Korba, Surguja, Jashpur districts of Chhattisgarh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shirdi Airport</span> Airport in Maharashtra, India

Shirdi Airport is an international airport serving the city of Shirdi, Maharashtra, India. It is located at Kakadi, about 14 km (8.7 mi) southwest of the city and 22 km (14 mi) from Sangamner. It is the fourth-busiest airport in the state after Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur airports. The airport, spread over 400 hectares, is owned by the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) and was inaugurated by President, Ram Nath Kovind on 1 October 2017. Communication Navigation Surveillance (CNS) and Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the airport is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakyong Airport</span> Airport in Sikkim, India

Pakyong Airport is a non-operational domestic airport near Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darbhanga Airport</span> Domestic airport in Darbhanga, Bihar, India

Darbhanga Airport is a domestic airport and an Indian Air Force Station, serving Darbhanga, Bihar, India. It is located just at the outskirts of the city near the NH-527B and NH-57 highways, which passes through Darbhanga. The airport is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The foundation stone for the airport was laid by the then Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, and the then Civil Aviation Minister, Suresh Prabhu, in the presence of the State Civil Aviation Minister, Jayant Sinha, on 24 December 2018. After efforts taken by the then Civil Aviation Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri. Commercial flights started on 8 November 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deoghar Airport</span> Airport in Jharkhand, India

Deoghar Airport is a domestic airport serving Deoghar in the state of Jharkhand, India. It is situated approximately 12 kilometres (7.4 mi) from the city centre. The airport has been primarily developed to serve the region of North-Eastern part of Jharkhand and some districts of West Bengal and Bihar. It also caters millions of pilgrims of Baidyanath Temple across the country and Sammed Shikarji for Jains. It is spread over 654 acres (265 ha). The airport has a 2,500 meter long runway, capable of handling Airbus A320, A321 and Boeing 737 type of aircraft. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the airport on 25 May 2018, and it was opened on 12 July 2022.

References

  1. Mishra, Mihir. "Bengal's Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport receives final regulatory approval – The Economic Times". The Economic Times. Economictimes.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  2. "Annexure III – Passenger Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  3. "Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  4. "Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  5. "Durgapur Airport (RDP) or Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport". goindigo. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  6. "Jindal-led JSW Group to invest in Durgapur airport". The Times Of India. 13 July 2024.
  7. "Profile on Kazi Nazrul Islam International Airport". CAPA . Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  8. 1 2 "Traffic News for the month of March 2019: Annexure-III" (PDF). Airports Authority of India . pp. 4–5. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  9. "Bengal Aerotropolis Projects gets DGCA nod for airport". Business Standard . 27 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  10. "Narendra Modi first passenger to use Durgapur airport". The Economic Times . 11 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  11. Mishra, Mihir (18 May 2015). "Air India operates inaugural flight between Durgapur & Kolkata". Economic Times. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  12. "Rechristened Bengal aerotropolis unveiled". Business Standard . 20 September 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  13. "Jindal-led JSW Group to invest in Durgapur airport". The Times Of India. 13 July 2024.
  14. 1 2 "Aerotropolis to bank on service, not size". The Times of India . 10 February 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  15. "IndiGo to launch direct flight connectivity from Chennai to Durgapur from May 16". The Telegraph. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
  16. 1 2 Pall, Samreen (11 June 2024). "Durgapur: New Direct Flights To Bhubaneswar, Bagdogra, And Guwahati End". News18. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  17. "Flight Information". 7 May 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  18. "Indigo to operate 22 new domestic flights from 28 March". www.livemint.com. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  19. "Unveiling our all-new domestic destination - Durgapur, a beautiful city in West Bengal". IndiGo. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  20. "Durgapur airport is now connected to 8 cities in India with direct flights".
  21. "Flight Information". kniairport.com. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  22. "Traffic News for the month of March 2022: Annexure-III" (PDF). www.aai.aero. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  23. "Traffic News for the month of March 2022: Annexure-II" (PDF). www.aai.aero. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  24. 1 2 3 4 "Airports of India | knowIndia.net".
  25. 1 2 "INTERNATIONAL AIRCRAFT MOVEMENTS" (PDF). Airports Authority of India. November 2019.
  26. "Traffic News for the month of March 2019: Annexure-II" (PDF). Airports Authority of India . 1 May 2019. p. 3. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  27. 1 2 "Traffic News for the month of March 2017: Annexure-III" (PDF). Airports Authority of India . pp. 3–4. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  28. 1 2 "Traffic News for the month of March 2017: Annexure-II" (PDF). Airports Authority of India . pp. 3–4. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  29. "DGCA to probe SpiceJet Mumbai-Durgapur flight turbulence incident, says Union Minister Scindia". TimesNow. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  30. "Turbulence on Mumbai-Durgapur flight: DGCA issues show-cause notice to SpiceJet". Hindustan Times. 2 June 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  31. "5 months on, 48-year-old injured in SpiceJet turbulence accident dies". Hindustan Times. 29 October 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022.