If it doesn't have any flights taking off or landing on its runway, can it still be called an airport? That's the question Indians need to be asking about eight airports that were upgraded using taxpayer funds to receive flights but are lying vacant.
Ironically, though the government is planning 200 new low-cost airports over the next 20 years, these eight have already modernised and are burning up funds though they have don't have any commercial flight agreements at all. In the last three years, these airports have accumulated losses of over Rs 82 crore due to expenditure on maintenance and other expenses, not counting the amount spent on the upgradation in the first place.
Here's a look at the airports lying vacant.
1. Ludhiana airport, Punjab
Sprawling over 130 acres, it is formally called Sahnewal airport. There are plans to develop a city around the airport over an area of 3,500 acres by spending Rs 2,000 crore in the first phase. The only flight from the airport used to travel to Delhi but was withdrawn by Air India on June 1.
2. Puducherry airport
Puducherry is a popular tourist destination near Chennai but travellers can't take flight from there anymore. The last flight, by SpiceJet, took off for Bangalore in February. SpiceJet’s services to the airport lasted only a year. Since then, it has been used only for training and private flights.
There are talks of resuming flights to Bangalore and expanding the airport to be able to handle larger jets. But the airport has been vacant for over 11 months.
3. Cooch Behar airport, West Bengal
Cooch Behar’s airstrip is more than five decades old but it was upgraded in 2009 in order to boost connectivity with the Assam belt. That did not happen. Even as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Bannerjee announced connectivity with Kolkata in September, the airport has no carrier agreement.
4. Akola airport, Maharashtra
Akola airport in Maharashtra was constructed in 1943 but received a facial uplift in 2008 at the cost of Rs 25 crore. The 4,600-foot air strip is now equipped with state of the art navigational systems but hasn’t seen a flight in a long time.
Maharashtra government wants to expand the airport and introduce more amenities but the Bombay High Court stepped in in September and stopped the Airports Authority of India from going forward, saying that the plan was unfeasibile.
5. Bikaner airport, Rajasthan
Bikaner airport was inaugurated in June. It was expected that the airport would ease traffic at the busy Jaipur airport but that hasn’t happened so far. The airport has been hit by various controversies, including the height of terminal building which led to delays.
6. Jaisalmer airport, Rajasthan
Though it is a popular tourist destination, Jaisalmer airport is still awaiting air service. A new terminal was constructed last year at a cost of Rs 80 crores, but the airport does not have contracts with any carriers to operate flights yet.
7. Pathankot airport, Punjab
Pathankot airport was marketed as an important link between Kullu and Delhi but it has largely remained a military airport. According to the official air traffic data by the Airports Authority of India, the airport saw only two flights in the year 2013-2014. The facility was created in November 2006 but hasn’t had regular commercial flights for over three years.
8. Kadapa airport, Andhra Pradesh
Kadapa airport in Andhra Pradesh was constructed in 1953 but a new runway was built in 2009 at the cost of Rs 21 crores. Since then, Rs 50 crores has been spent on an Air Traffic Control building, passenger terminal and parking bays. But there are currently no flight agreements with any carriers.
We welcome your comments at
letters@scroll.in.
Ironically, though the government is planning 200 new low-cost airports over the next 20 years, these eight have already modernised and are burning up funds though they have don't have any commercial flight agreements at all. In the last three years, these airports have accumulated losses of over Rs 82 crore due to expenditure on maintenance and other expenses, not counting the amount spent on the upgradation in the first place.
Here's a look at the airports lying vacant.
1. Ludhiana airport, Punjab
Sprawling over 130 acres, it is formally called Sahnewal airport. There are plans to develop a city around the airport over an area of 3,500 acres by spending Rs 2,000 crore in the first phase. The only flight from the airport used to travel to Delhi but was withdrawn by Air India on June 1.
2. Puducherry airport
Puducherry is a popular tourist destination near Chennai but travellers can't take flight from there anymore. The last flight, by SpiceJet, took off for Bangalore in February. SpiceJet’s services to the airport lasted only a year. Since then, it has been used only for training and private flights.
There are talks of resuming flights to Bangalore and expanding the airport to be able to handle larger jets. But the airport has been vacant for over 11 months.
3. Cooch Behar airport, West Bengal
Cooch Behar’s airstrip is more than five decades old but it was upgraded in 2009 in order to boost connectivity with the Assam belt. That did not happen. Even as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Bannerjee announced connectivity with Kolkata in September, the airport has no carrier agreement.
4. Akola airport, Maharashtra
Akola airport in Maharashtra was constructed in 1943 but received a facial uplift in 2008 at the cost of Rs 25 crore. The 4,600-foot air strip is now equipped with state of the art navigational systems but hasn’t seen a flight in a long time.
Maharashtra government wants to expand the airport and introduce more amenities but the Bombay High Court stepped in in September and stopped the Airports Authority of India from going forward, saying that the plan was unfeasibile.
5. Bikaner airport, Rajasthan
Bikaner airport was inaugurated in June. It was expected that the airport would ease traffic at the busy Jaipur airport but that hasn’t happened so far. The airport has been hit by various controversies, including the height of terminal building which led to delays.
6. Jaisalmer airport, Rajasthan
Though it is a popular tourist destination, Jaisalmer airport is still awaiting air service. A new terminal was constructed last year at a cost of Rs 80 crores, but the airport does not have contracts with any carriers to operate flights yet.
7. Pathankot airport, Punjab
Pathankot airport was marketed as an important link between Kullu and Delhi but it has largely remained a military airport. According to the official air traffic data by the Airports Authority of India, the airport saw only two flights in the year 2013-2014. The facility was created in November 2006 but hasn’t had regular commercial flights for over three years.
8. Kadapa airport, Andhra Pradesh
Kadapa airport in Andhra Pradesh was constructed in 1953 but a new runway was built in 2009 at the cost of Rs 21 crores. Since then, Rs 50 crores has been spent on an Air Traffic Control building, passenger terminal and parking bays. But there are currently no flight agreements with any carriers.