Prayagraj Airport (IATA: IXD, ICAO: VEAB), also known as Allahabad Airport, is the domestic airport serving the city of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. Located in the Bamrauli suburb of the city, it is one of the oldest airports in India. This airport is currently under joint operation of the Indian Air Force and the Airports Authority of India. It is the fifth busiest airport in Uttar Pradesh after airports at Lucknow, Varanasi, Ayodhya and Gorakhpur in terms of passenger traffic and aircraft movements.[7]
Foreseeing the Kumbh 2019, the airport was upgraded with the addition of a new civil terminal extension in 2018, which was constructed in a record 11 months by Tata Projects.[8] It continues to serve domestic destinations across the country, and is set to be converted into an international airport before Kumbh 2025.[9]
On 18 February 1911, domestic commercial aviation began in India when Henri Piquet flew a Humber biplane carrying mail from a polo field at Allahabad (now Prayagraj) to Naini, approximately six miles away.[10] The construction of an airport at Allahabad with a dedicated airfield was started in 1924.[3]
In 1931, the aerodrome at Allahabad was set up and the foundation for air traffic control services was laid with the appointment of an Indian Aerodrome Officer, specially trained at the airport in the UK.[3] It was among the first four international airports of the country. It catered to international flights with direct services to London until 1932.[2]
In July 1933, Imperial Airways commenced the operation of its flight on the Karachi-Jodhpur-Delhi-Kanpur-Allahabad-Kolkata route, which ran until June 1940.[11] The airfield at Bamrauli was also used as one of the five compulsory stops of the MacRobertson Trophy Air Race which took place in October 1934.[12]
From 1941 to the early 2000s, the airport did not cater to any regular commercial flight services. In the early months of 2003, Air Sahara became the first carrier to re-introduce services at the airport with connectivity to cities like Delhi and Kolkata.[13] However, services soon became defunct following an economic crisis. In 2005, Alliance Air (a regional connectivity subsidiary under Air India) started its Allahabad-Delhi flight service on the ATR-72 fleet, which continues to be operational to this day, with minor non-operational periods in between.
In 2013, SpiceJet introduced its operation in the Delhi-Allahabad sector, along with Alliance Air commencing its Allahabad-Mumbai flight, both of which were closed down due to non-availability of ILS and night landing facilities at the airport after running for a few months.[14][15]
Seeking limited operational and structural facilities, construction of a new civilian terminal and installation of an ILS system on the existing runway began in January 2018.[16] The newly constructed terminal was opened to the public in January 2019 and has since served regular flight operations at Prayagraj.[17]
Structure
Runway
The airport is served by a single runway 12/30, which is 2,560 meters (8,400 ft) long and 45 meters (148 ft) wide.[18]
Landing amenities
The airport is ILS CAT-I compliant for landing during the night, bad weather and foggy conditions.[19][non-primary source needed] The instrument landing system was installed during the 2018–2019 expansion phase, along with construction of the new terminal. Other than enhancing safety for landing flights in visibility as low as 550 meters, the installation of ILS finally allowed the airport to operate flights at night.[20]
New terminal
Construction of the new terminal began in January 2018 and was completed in December 2018. It was inaugurated by Prime MinisterNarendra Modi. The terminal was constructed for ₹164 crore (US$19 million).[21][16] A total of 83 acres (34 ha) was allocated for the construction of this terminal.[17]
The terminal is 6700 square meters, and has a peak per hour capacity of 300 passengers and four aircraft parking bays for Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.[22][21]
In February 2021, it was reported that there were plans for a complete makeover of the civil enclave of Prayagraj in Bamrauli in terms of size and facilities. The AAI proposed to double the airport's size, with the present building of the airport being expanded on both sides, keeping the terminal the same.
The project involves reconfiguring the existing terminal building and partially commissioning a new terminal, increasing the combined passenger handling capacity from 350 to approximately 2,050 passengers per hour. The total terminal area will expand from 6,500 sq. mtrs. to 18,500 sq. mtrs., enhancing passenger comfort and operational efficiency. Infrastructure upgrades also include an increase in the apron area, allowing aircraft parking bays to grow from four to 15, accommodating up to 7 Airbus A320s and eight smaller aircraft. A newly constructed taxiway will further streamline ground operations, and night landing facilities will ensure round-the-clock functionality. Improvements extend beyond flight operations. The city-side infrastructure now includes an expanded car parking capacity of 600 vehicles, up from 200.[24]
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Annual passenger traffic at IXD airport.
See Wikidata query.
