Swami Vivekananda Airport Explained

Swami Vivekananda Airport
Iata:RPR
Icao:VERP
Type:Public
Owner:Airports Authority of India
Operator:Airports Authority of India
City-Served:Raipur Metropolitan Region
Location:Mana, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
Elevation-F:1,041
Elevation-M:317
Metric-Elev:y
Coordinates:21.1814°N 81.7406°W
Website:Raipur Airport
Pushpin Map:India Chattisgarh#India
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of airport in India
Pushpin Label:RPR
R1-Number:06/24
R1-Length-F:10,662
R1-Length-M:3,250[1] [2]
R1-Surface:Asphalt
Metric-Rwy:y
H1-Number:H1
H1-Length-F:65
H1-Length-M:20
H1-Surface:Concrete
Stat1-Header:Passengers
Stat1-Data:2,432,118 (8%)
Stat-Year:April 2023 - March 2024
Footnotes:Source: AAI[3] [4] [5]
Stat2-Header:Aircraft movements
Stat2-Data:18,890 (8.5%)
Stat3-Header:Cargo tonnage
Stat3-Data:4,967 (12.3%)
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:10
Utc:+5:30

Swami Vivekananda Airport,[6] [7] [8] formerly known as Mana Airport, is a domestic airport serving the state of Chhattisgarh, India. The airport is located at Mana, approximately 15km (09miles) south-east of Raipur and 10km (10miles) east of Naya Raipur, situated conveniently between the two cities.[9] On 24 January 2012, the airport was renamed after Swami Vivekananda, the iconic Hindu monk and philosopher who spent three years of his youth in Raipur between 1877 and 1879.[10]

In the period between April 2023 and March 2024, it handled around 2.5 million passengers, and has been the busiest airport in Chhattisgarh, and the second busiest in Central India after Indore airport and the 29th busiest airport in India by passenger traffic.[3] The airport boasts longest runway in Central India which extends to 3250 meter, making it the longest in Central India.[2]

Airfield

Spread over an area of, Swami Vivekananda Airport has a single runway (06/24) measuring 3250m (10,660feet) in length and 45m (148feet) in width.[11] The runway has been extended to 3250m (10,660feet),[12] which was operationalised on 8 August 2024.[1] [2] It is also the Longest Runway in Central India in terms of commercial operations.

The airfield is equipped with night landing facilities such as ILS CAT II[13] instrument landing system (ILS) at Runway 24, and navigational aids such as ADS-B,[14] DVOR, DME, NDB, and PAPI.

The apron has seven parking bays which can accommodate A320/B737 category of aircraft. The airport is equipped with category VI firefighting and rescue capability with provisions for category VII on demand.[15]

Terminals

New integrated terminal

The new integrated terminal was inaugurated on 7 November 2012 by then President of India Pranab Mukherjee. Built at a cost of about, the building covers an area of 22000m2. It is designed to handle 1300 passengers at a time, including 400 international passengers.[16]

The new terminal has three aero-bridges, eight boarding gates, twenty check-in counters, eight X-ray baggage machines, four security counters, and two conveyor belts for luggage. Construction for fourth aero-bridge is under-consideration.[17]

Cargo terminal

The Common User Domestic Cargo Terminal (CUDCT) was inaugurated on 4 June 2016, fulfilling the long pending demand of the state to start air cargo operations. The AAI has converted the old terminal building into CUDCT to handle cargo operations. Ahmedabad based GSEC Limited has bagged the contract to operate and maintain the CUDCT for an initial period of five years.[18]

Aerocity

In 2023, the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel laid the foundation stone of Aerocity near Raipur Airport in 25 acre of land in Ramchandi area of Naya Raipur, with plans to have high-end hotels, a convention center, shopping complexes, and upscale restaurants and entertainment facilities.[19] [20] [21] [22]

Connectivity

The airport is located from Raipur Junction railway station and from Bhatgaon ISBT Raipur. It is well connected by Raipur and Naya Raipur BRTS and cabs such as Ola and Uber. In addition, the Raipur Urban Public Transport Society operates direct air-conditioned city buses to the neighbouring cities of Bhilai and Durg, via Raipur.[23]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. aairprairport . 1821519565160911038 . Runway has been extended by 966 m,bringing total length to 3250 m.This expansion sets the stage for wide-bodied Aircraft Operations,heralding a new era of possibilities at @aairprairport .First flight that landed today,operated by @IndiGo6E,received ceremonial water cannon salute. . 8 August 2024. 9 August 2024.
  2. News: रायपुर एयरपोर्ट में छत्तीसगढ़ का सबसे लंबा रनवे:नए रनवे पर उतरी पहली फ्लाइट, वाटर कैनन से स्वागत; बड़े विमान कर सकेंगे आसानी से लैंड . Bhaskar . hi . 8 August 2024 . 9 August 2024.
  3. Web site: Annexure III – Passenger Data. aai.aero. 20 April 2024.
  4. Web site: Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data. aai.aero. 20 April 2024.
  5. Web site: Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data. aai.aero. 20 April 2024.
  6. Web site: Airport codes Raipur in Raipur, India (IN) . airportsbase.org. 17 March 2020.
  7. Web site: Raipur - India. World Airport Codes. 17 March 2020.
  8. Web site: Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map. Flightradar24. 17 March 2020.
  9. Web site: Airports Authority of India. www.aai.aero. 1 July 2017.
  10. Web site: Renaming of Mana Airport at Raipur in Chhattisgarh as "Swami Vivekanand International Airport, Raipur" . pib.nic.in. 1 July 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170812021624/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=79862 . 12 August 2017.
  11. Web site: Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur -Brochure . AAI . 19 March 2021.
  12. News: AAI awards work for extension of Raipur Airport runway . 26 March 2021 . The Pioneer . 14 January 2018 . en.
  13. aairprairport . Existing CAT-I ILS at Raipur Airport is now being upgraded to CAT-II ILS that will further allow the aircraft to land in extremely poor weather . 1672956167147126785 . 6 August 2023 . 25 June 2023.
  14. aairprairport . State-of-the-art ADS-B facility is yet another feather in the cap of the Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur which is now operationalised to cater the increasing Air-traffic demand . 1590591726707560449 . 6 August 2023 . 10 November 2022.
  15. Web site: Airports Authority of India, Technical Information. www.aai.aero. https://web.archive.org/web/20090216234603/http://aai.aero/allAirports/raipur_technicalinfo.jsp. 16 February 2009. dead. 1 July 2017.
  16. News: Pranab hopes Raipur airport's new terminal will support Chhattisgarh's growth. 8 November 2012. The Hindu. 29 April 2017. Bagchi. Suvojit.
  17. Web site: Airports Authority of India, Passenger Information. www.aai.aero. https://web.archive.org/web/20090216233947/http://aai.aero/allAirports/raipur_passengerinfo.jsp. 16 February 2009. dead. 1 July 2017.
  18. News: Cargo terminal inaugurated at Raipur airport . 26 March 2021 . The Times of India . 4 June 2016 . en.
  19. News: Chhattisgarh to build Aerocity near Raipur Airport: CMO . 9 September 2023 . Economic Times . ANI . 21 November 2022.
  20. News: Develop aerocity in Raipur along the lines of Delhi airport: CM . 9 September 2023 . The Times of India . 21 November 2022.
  21. News: Chhattisgarh to build Aerocity near Raipur Airport: CMO . 9 September 2023 . ThePrint . ANI . 20 November 2022.
  22. News: Rawal . Khushbu . नवा रायपुर में बनेगा 'कमर्शियल हब', CM बघेल ने एरोसिटी और 'शहीद स्मारक' का किया भूमिपूजन . 13 September 2023 . India TV Hindi . 13 September 2023 . hi.
  23. News: एयरपोर्ट से दुर्ग के लिए आठ एसी सिटी बसों को मिला परमिट . 1 July 2017 . Nai Dunia . 8 January 2016 . hi.