Jammu to have new state-of-the-art Civil Airport in Belicharana by 2024

After successful operationalization of an extended portion of existing 6,700 feet stretch of runway to a revised 8,000 feet tarmac at Jammu airport, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has now expedited work on constructing a new state-of-the-art Civil Airport in Belicharana area here.

It is expected that Jammuites may have a new Terminal Building at Civil Airport in Belicharana by the end of 2024 if everything happens as planned by authorities.

For this, the AAI has already floated tenders for the work of “construction of boundary wall at Belicharana side” for new terminal building at an estimated cost of Rs. 7.73 crore. The tenders are most likely to be awarded next week and work on the boundary is slated to be completed within 15 months.

Sources said the UT administration has so far identified 974 kanal of land for this ambitious project out of which 75 percent has been handed over to the AAI to build the terminal. The process of handing over the remaining land having structures of the animal husbandry department is at an advanced stage. The animal husbandry department has been asked to immediately shift its office buildings to other locations.

“The existing airport building spreads over an area of 14,500-square meter, while the upcoming new terminal building, which is being developed at a distance of about 2.5-km from the existing terminal building, will be nearly three times bigger and it will have an area of around 40,000-square meter. It will have a parking capacity of about 800 cars at a particular time,” Sanjeev Kumar Garg, Director Airport, Jammu, told.

The Director said there will be no merger of the existing airport with the upcoming civil airport in Belicharana area. “The AAI will use only one building at a point of time. After having a new Terminal building at the upcoming Civil Airport, the existing building will be used for some other purposes by the headquarters. The new airport is being designed to cater the growing rush of passengers over the next 15 years. Tentatively, if all activities remain in line with the planning and schedule, we are expecting to have a new Terminal Building by the end of 2024,” Garg said.

With the extended portion of existing runway at Jammu airport, the AAI has now left with no further scope of expansion, he said, adding “the upcoming Civil Airport at Belicharana will have all facilities on the pattern of Mumbai and Delhi airports with the departure gates on the first floor of the airport”.

To a query, Garg said, “At present, there is a movement of average 46 flights (to and fro) from Jammu airport during the winter schedule which is expected to go up to 78 in the summer schedule with the addition of more sectors”.