Jharkhand

• 15 Jun 2022

Domestic Flights to Start from Deoghar International Airport

Why in News?

• On June 14, 2022, Deoghar Airport Director Sandeep Dhingra informed that domestic flights will start from the newly built Deoghar International Airport before the world-famous Shravani Mela, which will start from July 15.

Key Points

• The airport will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 12. It is worth mentioning that the online foundation stone of this airport was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 25, 2018 .
• It is the first international airport in Jharkhand, but in the first phase, domestic flight services will be started from here. Deoghar will be the first airport in the state from where direct flight services can be started for foreign countries in the future.
• At present, regular domestic flight services are being operated from Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi only in the entire state .
• The DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) had issued a licence to Deoghar airport for domestic flights on April 11, 2022. After this, on June 8, IndiGo's air bus-320 took off from this airport as a trial run.
• Deoghar Airport Director Sandeep Dhingra said that regular flight services to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ranchi will start before here. For this, IndiGo and SpiceJet have given approval on their behalf. Other airlines, including Air Asia, have also expressed their willingness to offer their services from Deoghar airport.
• The airport has been constructed at a cost of about Rs 400 crore, of which 50 percent is contributed by DRDO. A replica of the world famous Baba Vaidyanath temple has been built on the airport building. On it, the Panchshul has been made from brass, which is visible from a distance. Similar is the case with the Panchshul Baba Vaidyanath temple.
• A huge Shravani fair is organized every year in Deoghar for a month in Sawan, in which about 1 to 1.5 lakh devotees reach daily from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh as well as from different parts of the country. Devotees coming from outside will get a lot of convenience due to the start of flight services from here before the fair.
• Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries President Dhiraj Taneja said that the commencement of services from Deoghar airport will also expand the possibilities of trade and industry.