Bikaner Airport Explained

Bikaner Airport
Iata:BKB
Icao:VIBK
Type:Military/Public
Operator:Indian Air Force
City-Served:Bikaner
Location:Nal, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India
Pushpin Map:India Rajasthan#India
Pushpin Label:BKB
Elevation-F:750
Elevation-M:229
Metric-Elev:y
Metric-Rwy:y
R1-Number:05/23
R1-Length-F:8,960
R1-Length-M:2,731
R1-Surface:Asphalt
Stat-Year:April 2023 - March 2024
Stat1-Header:Passengers
Stat1-Data:4,694 (78%)
Stat2-Header:Aircraft movements
Stat2-Data:272 (58.5%)
Footnotes:Source: AAI[1] [2] [3]
Stat3-Data:—
Stat3-Header:Cargo tonnage

Nal Air Force Station (IATA: BKB, ICAO: VIBK), also known as Bikaner Air Force Station and Civil Airport Bikaner, is a domestic airport and an Indian Air Force Station, which serves the city of Bikaner in Rajasthan, India. It is located at Nal, 13 km (8 mi) west of the city. The civil enclave within is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and regular scheduled flight under the UDAN scheme were inaugurated in 2017. The IAF has deployed the first squadron of the indigenous HAL Tejas MK.1A (No.3 IAF) at this base.[4] [5]

History

By 1964, the diversionary Indian Air Force airfield at Nal was built and operationally ready.[6] 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.[7]

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.[8] The airport was expected to be completed in March 2012.[9] 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.[10] [11] [12] The civil enclave will include a terminal for 100 passengers and a 60 x 90 m apron capable of holding two ATR 72 aircraft.[13] Bikaner Airport construction was completed in August 2013.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Annexure III – Passenger Data. aai.aero. 23 April 2024.
  2. Web site: Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data. aai.aero. 23 April 2024.
  3. Web site: Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data. aai.aero. 23 April 2024.
  4. Web site: 2024-03-28 . 'Airborne for 15 minutes': HAL successfully completes first flight of Made in India LCA Mark 1A fighter aircraft . 2024-03-28 . Firstpost . en-us.
  5. News: Tejas MK-1A completes maiden flight, first delivery soon . 2024-03-28 . The Times of India . 0971-8257.
  6. Book: PC Lal. My Years with the IAF. Lancer Publishers LLC. 978-1-935501-75-6. 158.
  7. News: Raje inaugurates Bikaner's air termina . . 30 June 2014 . 14 July 2014 .
  8. News: Bikaner set to have own airport . https://archive.today/20120714201201/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-03-03/jaipur/28036762_1_air-connectivity-bikaner-foreign-tourists . dead . 14 July 2012 . . 3 March 2009 . 2 July 2010 .
  9. News: MoD nod for building at Bikaner civil airport . https://archive.today/20120707083917/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-27/jaipur/30446787_1_aai-defence-ministry-airports-authority . dead . 7 July 2012 . . 27 November 2011 .
  10. News: 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 . 29 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140407102106/http://thaarexpress.com/English-News/air-services-in-bikaner . 7 April 2014 . dead .
  11. News: नाल एयरपोर्ट के लिए एनओसी मिली . The Dainik Bhaskar . 28 November 2011 . 29 November 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111126151437/http://www.bhaskar.com/article/RAJ-OTH-1630886-2592869.html . 26 November 2011 .
  12. News: 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. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140407123257/http://www.seemasandesh.com/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=21833 . 7 April 2014 .
  13. Web site: Airport Website . . 22 March 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170809110137/http://www.aai.aero/allAirports/Bikaner.jsp . 9 August 2017 . dead .

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