Aurangabad Airport
Encyclopedia
Aurangabad Airport (also known as Chikkalthana Airport) is a public airport
located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra
, India
.
attempted to develop tourism in Aurangabad district (Ajanta, Ellora, Daulatabad and Bibi Ka Maqbara
in Aurangabad city) but the project failed to take off.
Late in the decade the government awarded it to JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation
), which planned, financed and implemented the project. JBIC was to assist in several ways – monument conservation, airport expansion, upgrading roads to the monuments, improving water quality, expanding electrical service and implementing a visitor-management system.
Funds required for the first phase were Rs 81.71 crore
, of which Rs 69.48 crore was allocated by JBIC. This phase concentrated on the basic infrastructure and necessary amenities in and around Aurangabad. The second phase (costing Rs 360 crore) received about Rs 300 crore from JBIC, with the remainder from the agencies involved.
, construction of a boundary wall and other improvements; this was completed in 2005.
The second phase included a new, integrated terminal building and technical complex to handle domestic and international air traffic. The cost was Rs. 99.67 crore, of which the JBIC contributed RS 0.60 crore and AAI (Airports Authority of India
) contributed the remainder. Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel
laid the foundation of the second phase in January 2007, promising it would be completed within a year; the airport opened in November 2008.
One of the most daunting problems faced by airport management at Aurangabad was that of parking space for the aircraft, since the old apron
could only accommodate one wide-bodied aircraft; this hampered regular flights out of the airport and prevented its use by foreign chartered flights. In the second phase a new apron (measuring 500 by 400 ft) was built, accommodating up to four wide-bodied Airbus
aircraft. The old apron will continue to accommodate one Airbus and one ATR aircraft. Parking for five to six aircraft is now available, enabling chartered flights and increasing international tourist traffic.
and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel
. The maiden flight was to Jeddah
(Saudi Arabia
), carrying pilgrims for Hajj
. National air carrier Air India launched its direct flight to Jeddah
for Hajj
, using an Airbus 310 with 200 hajis aboard from the newly constructed terminal in Aurangabad. With this, Aurangabad became the 17th airport in the country from which Hajj flights depart.
The airport opened to regular traffic on 3 March 2009. A Jet Airways
Mumbai-Aurangabad flight landed at 8:05 am, the first regularly scheduled flight to use Aurangabad Airport’s new terminal.
In addition to charter flights, seven planes daily serve Indian cities from Aurangabad Airport. It is used by 700 passengers daily, and the terminal has a capacity of 700.
Cargo
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Project history
In the early 1990s, the Government of MaharashtraGovernment of Maharashtra
Government of Maharashtra is the government for the state of Maharashtra in Western India.It is an elected government with 288 MLAs elected to the legislative assembly for a 5 year term.-Ministers:...
attempted to develop tourism in Aurangabad district (Ajanta, Ellora, Daulatabad and Bibi Ka Maqbara
Bibi Ka Maqbara
Bibi Ka Maqbara is a maqbara built by the Mughal Prince Azam Shah, in the late 17th century as a loving tribute to his mother, Rabia Durrani . The comparison to the Taj Mahal has resulted in a general ignorance of the monument...
in Aurangabad city) but the project failed to take off.
Late in the decade the government awarded it to JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation
Japan Bank for International Cooperation
The , also known by its acronym, JBIC, is a Japanese public financial institution and export credit agency, and was created on October 1, 1999, through the merging of the Japan Export-Import Bank and the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund ....
), which planned, financed and implemented the project. JBIC was to assist in several ways – monument conservation, airport expansion, upgrading roads to the monuments, improving water quality, expanding electrical service and implementing a visitor-management system.
Funds required for the first phase were Rs 81.71 crore
Crore
A crore is a unit in the Indian number system equal to ten million , or 100 lakhs. It is widely used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan....
, of which Rs 69.48 crore was allocated by JBIC. This phase concentrated on the basic infrastructure and necessary amenities in and around Aurangabad. The second phase (costing Rs 360 crore) received about Rs 300 crore from JBIC, with the remainder from the agencies involved.
Upgrades
As part of the overall development (and to facilitate tourist traffic) it was decided to upgrade the facilities at Aurangabad airport in phases, costing around Rs 130 crore. The first phase included extending and reinforcing the runway, a new taxiwayTaxiway
A taxiway is a path on an airport connecting runways with ramps, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller airports sometimes use gravel or grass....
, construction of a boundary wall and other improvements; this was completed in 2005.
The second phase included a new, integrated terminal building and technical complex to handle domestic and international air traffic. The cost was Rs. 99.67 crore, of which the JBIC contributed RS 0.60 crore and AAI (Airports Authority of India
Airports Authority of India
The Airports Authority of India is an organization working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that manages most of the airports in India. The AAI manages and operates 126 airports including 16 international airports, 89 domestic airports and 26 civil enclaves. The corporate headquarters are at...
) contributed the remainder. Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel
Praful Patel
Praful Manoharbhai Patel is a Member of Parliament of the Lok Sabha of India. He represents the Bhandara-Gondia parliamentary constituency and is a member of the Nationalist Congress Party...
laid the foundation of the second phase in January 2007, promising it would be completed within a year; the airport opened in November 2008.
One of the most daunting problems faced by airport management at Aurangabad was that of parking space for the aircraft, since the old apron
Airport ramp
The airport ramp or apron is part of an airport. It is usually the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled or boarded. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway...
could only accommodate one wide-bodied aircraft; this hampered regular flights out of the airport and prevented its use by foreign chartered flights. In the second phase a new apron (measuring 500 by 400 ft) was built, accommodating up to four wide-bodied Airbus
Airbus
Airbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
aircraft. The old apron will continue to accommodate one Airbus and one ATR aircraft. Parking for five to six aircraft is now available, enabling chartered flights and increasing international tourist traffic.
Reopening
The opening ceremony took place on 21 November 2008 before Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao DeshmukhVilasrao Deshmukh
Vilasrao Dagadojirao Deshmukh , popularly known as Vilasrao is the current Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Earth Sciences....
and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel
Praful Patel
Praful Manoharbhai Patel is a Member of Parliament of the Lok Sabha of India. He represents the Bhandara-Gondia parliamentary constituency and is a member of the Nationalist Congress Party...
. The maiden flight was to Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
(Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
), carrying pilgrims for Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
. National air carrier Air India launched its direct flight to Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
for Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
, using an Airbus 310 with 200 hajis aboard from the newly constructed terminal in Aurangabad. With this, Aurangabad became the 17th airport in the country from which Hajj flights depart.
The airport opened to regular traffic on 3 March 2009. A Jet Airways
Jet Airways
Jet Airways is a major Indian airline based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is India's largest airline and the market leader in the domestic sector. It operates over 400 flights daily to 76 destinations worldwide. Its main hub is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, with secondary hubs at Delhi,...
Mumbai-Aurangabad flight landed at 8:05 am, the first regularly scheduled flight to use Aurangabad Airport’s new terminal.
First phase
- Runway extension (from 7500 ft (2,286 m) to 9300 ft); apron and runway lighting
- Instrument landing systemInstrument Landing SystemAn instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
(ILS) installation - Fence and water-bypass installation
- Installation of air-conditioning and luggage conveyor in departure area
- Approach lights and power-plant installation
- Doppler VHF (very high frequency) omni-range (DVOR) radarRadarRadar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
installation - DME (Distance Measuring EquipmentDistance Measuring EquipmentDistance measuring equipment is a transponder-based radio navigation technology that measures distance by timing the propagation delay of VHF or UHF radio signals....
) installation - Emergency runway and shoulder maintenance
Second phase
- Integrated two-story, glass-and-steel terminal building (with four entry & exit points) and a 30m-high technical complex (with a floor area of 620m²), covering a total of over 20,500m² and costing approximately Rs 100 crore (total cost of both phases Rs 130 crore)
- 400-car parking lot
- Two aero-bridges to facilitate passenger flow
- New fire station
In addition to charter flights, seven planes daily serve Indian cities from Aurangabad Airport. It is used by 700 passengers daily, and the terminal has a capacity of 700.
Terminal features
- Central air-conditioning over a 1.9-lakhLakhA lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and is often used in Indian English.-Usage:...
-square-foot area - Escalators and passenger lifts
- Two aerobridges
- Flight information display
- Car-calling facilities
- "Commercially important person" section
- Child-care room
- Duty-free shopping
- PA system, baggage-handling system, closed-circuit TV
Airlines and destinations
PassengerCargo
External links
- skyscrapercity.com (For more on New Integrated Terminal Building Aurangabad Airport.)
- Aurangabad Airport (official Airports Authority of IndiaAirports Authority of IndiaThe Airports Authority of India is an organization working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that manages most of the airports in India. The AAI manages and operates 126 airports including 16 international airports, 89 domestic airports and 26 civil enclaves. The corporate headquarters are at...
web site) - www.jica.go.jp (Ajanta–Ellora Conservation and Tourism Development Project.)