Bikaner Airport

For the airport in Russia with IATA code NAL, see Nalchik Airport.

Bikaner Airport
IATA: BKB ICAO: VIBK
Summary
Airport type	Military/Public
Operator	Indian Air Force
Serves	Bikaner
Location	Nal, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India
Opened	1964; 60 years ago (1964)
Elevation AMSL	229 m / 750 ft
Coordinates	28°04′14″N 73°12′25″E
Website	nalairport.com
Map
BKB Show map of Rajasthan BKB Show map of India
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 05/23 2,731 8,960 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2023 - March 2024)
Passengers 4,694 ( 78%) Aircraft movements 272 ( 58.5%) Cargo tonnage —
Source: AAI[1][2][3]

Nal Air Force Station (IATA: BKB, ICAO: VIBK), also known as Bikaner Air Force Station and Civil Airport Bikaner, is a domestic airport and an Indian Air Force Station, which serves the city of Bikaner in Rajasthan, India. It is located at Nal, 13 km (8 mi) west of the city. The civil enclave within is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and regular scheduled flight under the UDAN scheme were inaugurated in 2017.^[4] The IAF has deployed the first squadron of the indigenous HAL Tejas MK.1A (No.3 IAF) at this base.^[5][6]

History

By 1964, the diversionary Indian Air Force airfield at Nal was built and operationally ready.^[7] The civil air terminal as an enclave within the airforce station was inaugurated on 29 June 2014, and on 26 September 2017 regular flight to Delhi was inaugurated by Air India.^[4]

The government-owned Vayudoot operated a 20-seater aircraft to this airport in the past but the service was terminated in 1987. The foundation stone of the new terminal was laid in March 2009 by the then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.^[8] The airport was expected to be completed in March 2012.^[9] A dispute between the AAI and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) regarding height of the terminal building led to delay in starting air services. AAI authorities constructed the building up to the height of 6.75 metres, whereas MoD had permitted a maximum height of 5 metres.^[10][11][12] The civil enclave will include a terminal for 100 passengers and a 60 x 90 m apron capable of holding two ATR 72 aircraft.^[13] Bikaner Airport construction was completed in August 2013.

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Alliance Air	Delhi[14]

Statistics

Annual passenger traffic at BKB airport. See Wikidata query.

See also

• List of airports in Rajasthan

References

1. "Annexure III – Passenger Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
2. "Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
3. "Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
4. "Raje inaugurates Bikaner's air termina". The Times of India. 30 June 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
5. "'Airborne for 15 minutes': HAL successfully completes first flight of Made in India LCA Mark 1A fighter aircraft". Firstpost. 28 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
6. "Tejas MK-1A completes maiden flight, first delivery soon". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
7. PC Lal. My Years with the IAF. Lancer Publishers LLC. p. 158. ISBN 978-1-935501-75-6.
8. "Bikaner set to have own airport". The Times of India. 3 March 2009. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
9. "MoD nod for building at Bikaner civil airport". The Times of India. 27 November 2011. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012.
10. "NOC from Ministry of Defence has been received for construction of truce building of the height of 6.75 Meters at Nal Civil Airport at Bikaner". The Thar Express. 28 November 2011. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
11. "नाल एयरपोर्ट के लिए एनओसी मिली". The Dainik Bhaskar. 28 November 2011. Archived from the original on 26 November 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
12. "गस्त 2012 तक उनका विभाग इन दोनों एयरपोर्ट का निर्माण पूरा कर इसे हवाई उड़ानों के लिए तैयार कर देंगे". The Dainik Bhaskar. 4 April 2012. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014.
13. "Airport Website". Airports Authority of India. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
14. "Alliance Air to resume Delhi-Bikaner service from Oct-2023". CAPA. Retrieved 25 September 2023.