Expansion of Port Blair airport’s carrying capacity adds to Andaman & Nicobar archipelago’s strategic value

The significant expansion in the carrying capacity of the Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair and the announcement of new airport projects are likely to prompt scheduled domestic carriers to ramp up operations to the archipelago.

Remotely inaugurating the airport, Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted, “Potential visitors to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands have for long demanded a larger capacity airport.”

The airport would now be able to handle up to 11,000 passengers daily, which is around three times its previous capacity of just 4,000 passengers. 

Elaborating on the enhancement in the airport’s carrying capacity the prime minister said that other than the ability to handle a higher number of passengers the expansion would enable parking of 10 aircraft at any given time at the airport.

“More flights and tourists will bring more jobs to the area. Port Blair’s new terminal building will increase ease of travel, ease of doing business and connectivity,” he added.

Built at a cost of Rs 707.73 crore on a 40,837 square meters area, the terminal is built like an oyster to represent the beauty of the union territory and the surrounding sea.

Referring to sustainable airport design in an ecologically fragile region, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said, “This airport doesn’t need an external source of light during the daytime. In terms of sustainability, this airport has a double insulation system, LED lighting, rainwater catchment and a solar water plant.”

The minister also announced the construction of additional airports in the region.

“Three additional airports in Shibpur, Car Nicobar and Campbell Bay, as well as four water aerodromes in Shaheed Dweep, Swaraj Dweep and Port Blair, will be established by the government at an investment of Rs 150 crore."
 

Adding strategic value

At present, domestic carriers IndiGo, Air India, Vistara and SpiceJet operate a total of 320 flights from and to Port Blair from Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, and Visakhapatnam. With the expansion in airport capacity, the number is bound to increase significantly growing forward.

“Port Blair has always been a military and civilian base. The expansion in the airport’s capacity will allow for increased operation movement of bigger aircraft. And that not only adds to its strategic importance but will also give a fillip to tourist arrivals,” senior defence expert, Grp Capt. (Retd) MJ Augustine told Business Today.

Often described as a critical maritime outpost for India, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands serve as a natural aircraft carrier for the country on the western opening of the Malacca Straits from where most container ships pass in the Indian Ocean. Besides, China has a listening post on Coco Island just 55 km from the Andamans.