Ajmer Airport
Ajmer Airport is an upcoming airport being built in Kishangarh, 27 km North East of Ajmer in Rajasthan, India. Ajmer is the home of thousands of devotees from across the globe. Thousands of people daily visit Ajmer to see Dargah and Pushkar. The foundation stone of the project was laid by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in September 2013. The airport is being built by the Airports Authority of India and is expected to commence operations in 2016.[1] This airport will be India's one of the few airport to be light up by solar power.[2]
History
The original proposal for an airport at Kishangarh came following Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's visit to Ajmer. Initial government efforts to acquire land for the project at Sardana had to be abandoned before the current location was chosen by the district administration.[3] Kishangarh Airport is the first of over 100 airports that are to be built in India by 2020. The project is being undertaken by the Airports Authority of India at a cost of about ₹161 crores.[1][4][5]
Location
Kishangarh Airport is located 27 km from Ajmer which houses the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and Pushkar, home to a Brahma temple and host to the annual Pushkar Fair. Kishangarh town is itself famous for its marble industry and is on the National Highway 8. The airport is expected to facilitate transport to the pilgrim sites and give a fillip to the region's economic development.[4][6]
Name
Demands for naming the airport after Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and Prithviraj Chauhan have been raised by Muslim and Hindu groups.[3]
Facilities
The airport will cover an area of 637 acres and will have a 2,000 metre long runway that will allow the operation of smaller aircraft during the day. Initially, there will be flights to Delhi and Mumbai. The parking apron will be able to simultaneously accommodate two ATR aircraft initially.[7]
A 2700 sq m passenger terminal building will handle 150 in and out-bound passengers per hour. Other features at the terminal include 6 check-in counters, two X-ray screening machines for baggage screening and an elevated baggage conveyor belt in the arrivals terminal. The airport will also have parking space for 125 cars.[7][8]
References
- ^ a b "Focus on connecting small cities by air: Manmohan". The Hindu. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ^ "India's Ajmer airport to set up 100MW solar project". Solar Quarter. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
- ^ a b "Controversy over, Kishangarh airport to be final name". Times of India. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ^ a b "More than 100 airports to connect small cities by 2020: PM". Deccan Chronicle. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ^ 2 years on, Kishangarh airport script still awry
- ^ "Manmohan Singh lays foundation stone of Kishangarh airport in Ajmer". DNA. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ^ a b "Kishangarh airport to be operational in 36 months". Times of India. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ^ "Focus on connecting small cities by air: Manmohan Singh". The Indian Express. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2013.