To connect Deoghar, a holy place for Hindus in Jharkhand, with rest of the country, the plan to start the operations of Kunda Deoghar Airport is at final stage. This will be the state’s second airport after the Birsa Munda International Airport in Ranchi. It is expected to be operational from this year. According to the Airport Authority of India (AAI), the Deoghar Airport is spread across 653.75 acres, while the terminal building covers 4,000 square metres area.

Deoghar Airport’s mega plan

Inspired from the Shikharas of the Baidyanath Temple, the 4,000-square-meter terminal building incorporates environment-friendly architecture design. The airport has the capacity to manage about 200 passengers per hour and will have six check-in counters and two arrival belts. To emphasize on the state culture, the Deoghar Airport will display Adivasi artwork, local handicrafts, and major tourist destinations.

As planned, development works include extension of the runway up to 2,500 meters in length and 45 meters in width. The airport will have a mobile air traffic control room, an apron for A320 aircraft, taxiways, and isolation bays.

The Deoghar Airport is being developed as a commercial one on an existing airstrip at Kunda. The above-mentioned upgrades have been pegged at a cost of Rs 400 crore by the AAI.

Strategic location of Deoghar Airport

Located at the north-eastern side of Jharkhand, the Kunda Deoghar Airport will be well-connected to the rest of the country, giving a big push to tourism, jobs, and bring overall economic development of the place. “Due to its strategic location, it will provide aviation connectivity to Santhal region and will also serve people of Patna, Banka, Khagaria, Munger, Sheikhpura, Bhagalpur & Jamui in Bihar,” tweeted Hardeep Singh Puri, former Civil Aviation Minister.

Landmark areas near Kunda Deoghar Airport

The National Highway-114A, Baidyanathdham Deoghar Railway Station and the Baidyanath Temple are near to Kunda Deoghar Airport site.

Updates on Deoghar Airport

There are reports suggesting that the airport will be ready for operations during the second half of 2021, but as of now there are no official confirmations on the same.

September 2020: Former Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri mentioned that flight operations would begin in the first week of November. While work on the runway was completed, construction work in the terminal building was expected to be completed by December, he said after inspecting the airport site. He added that routes for the flight operations were being finalised.

May 2018: Foundation stone of the Kunda Deoghar Airport was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

March 2017: A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the AAI, the Jharkhand government and the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) to upgrade the Kunda Deoghar Airport to accommodate airbus A320. The state government was to hand over 600.34 acres of acquired land to the AAI in addition to the existing 53.41 acres of Deoghar Airport land. The target time to start operations was two years.

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