Gaggal Airport
Gaggal Airport,(IATA: DHM, ICAO: VIGG) alternatively known as Kangra Airport
or Dharamsala-Kangra Airport, is an airport located in Gaggal near Kangra in
the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, 12 Kilometres South-West of
Dharamshala via NH503 and NH154.
In March 2022, Airports
Authority of India (AAI) came up with a two phase expansion plan for
Gaggal Airport.
In Phase 1, the runway is to be expanded by around 600 m (2,000 ft), from
current 1,372 to 1,900 m (4,501 to 6,234 ft), which would require
construction of a runway bridge over the Manjhi River, just short of Gaggal
township. If first phase is completed, it will help turboprop airplanes in
taking off and landing at the Gaggal Airport with full capacity without load
penalty.
In Phase 2, the runway is to be increased by 1,210 m (3,970 ft), taking the
increased length of runway from 1,900 to 3,110 m (6,230 to 10,200 ft). This
expansion will enable narrow bodied turbofan aircraft like Airbus-320/330
and Boeing 737 to easily operate from this Airport.
The Airport upgrade would not only
provide a major boost to the tourism sector for Kangra district, but would
also serve Chamba, Hamirpur and Una districts.
A total of Rs 400 Crores were recommended by the Fifteenth Finance
Commission for the expansion of Kangra Airport, which have been granted by
the Central Government.
Facilities
The Airport, spread over 1269 acres at an altitude of 2,525 ft (770 m) feet
has one asphalt runway, oriented 15/33, 4,620 ft (1,408 m) long and 300
metres wide. Its 300 by 200 foot apron provides parking space for 2
turboprop aircraft like the ATR-72-500, while its terminal building can
handle 100 passengers.
Navigational aids include PAPI lights and NDB. Gaggal Airport is a Visual
Flight Rules (VFR) airfield. VFR require a pilot to be able to see outside
the cockpit, to control the aircraft's altitude, navigate, and avoid
obstacles and other aircraft.
Connectivity to City
Gaggal Airport is located about 14 Kilometres South-West of Dharamshala.
Auto and taxi facility to town center are available out side of this
Airport. Hotels pickup and car rental services can be arrange prior to
arrivals.
Airlines and Destinations
Currently, Alliance Air and SpiceJet serve scheduled commercial flights to various
cities in India as stated below:
| Airlines | Destinations |
| Alliance Air | Chandigarh, Delhi, Jaipur, Shimla |
| SpiceJet | Delhi |
folder_open Airports in Himachal Pradesh