North-east is nothing but nature’s most glimmering gem which is worth witnessing, and travelers like you and us try to make our way from different routes to reach Sikkim. However, nobody can fly directly to Sikkim and the whole 4 or 5 hours drive makes it too tiring. So, here is the good news that the Pakyong Airport in Sikkim has been inaugurated to relief the tourists from the long journey and expensive travel to Sikkim.
Pakyong Airport- The new airport for a budget-friendly journey to Sikkim
It is a Greenfield airport in Gangtok, the state capital of Sikkim, India. The airport spreads over 990 acres and is located at Pakyong village which is about 35 kilometers south of Gangtok. It is known to be the five highest airports in India. It is the 100th operational but the sole airport in Sikkim.Structure of the airport:
Some of the important features of the Pakyong airport to know before you have a closer look at the airport.- Air Traffic Control tower-cum-fire-station
- Two sophisticated CFT
- One terminal building for passengers
- High-intensity runway lights
- Parking for over 50 vehicles
- 1.75-kilometer runway
- 116-meter-long taxiway
Inaugurating and operating of flights:
The airport was inaugurated by our Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24th September 2018. It is already confirmed by the airport authority that Spicejet would operate its first commercial flight from Kolkata and Guwahati. Druk Air would also launch flights between Pakyong and Paro the next upcoming year.Airlines and destinations:
Till now only two airlines have got the approval of launching their first flights from their country to Sikkim. They are: Druk Air: Paro to Pakyong Airport (1st January 2019) Spicejet: Guwahati to Pakyong Airport (16th October 2018) Kolkata to Pakyong Airport (8th October 2018)Military Flight operations:
As Pakyong airport sits at a distance of 60 kilometers from the Indo-China Border, it has been reported that Indian Air Force would be allowed to land few military aircraft at the site. But there disputes going about this decision even though it is an ease for the travelers to have a hassle-free budget trip.Things to know about this new airport in Sikkim:
Before you start heading towards visiting this new airport you must know about the making of the airport.- The dream came true after nine years the foundation stone laid by the airport authority in 2009.
- This airport is constructed by Airports Authority of India and is the nearest airport located 124 kilometers in Bagdogra.
- The airport was constructed at an estimated cost of 605 crores and it is known as an “engineering marvel”.
The cheaper alternative to Bagdogra Airport is knocking the doors
If everything goes well, then it will be the sole famous airport of Sikkim and it will further boost the tourism and economic growth of the state of Sikkim. On the other hand, this airport will save much time and people do not have to bear the problem of changing transports to reach Sikkim. In the meanwhile, it is also hoped that all other airlines might also get permission to connect to Sikkim so that our Sikkim holidays become more exciting and hassle-free than ever before.Comments (0)