CleanupBot II at 17:28, 13 August 2023

2023-08-13T17:28:46Z

New page

{{Short description|Airport in Lakshadweep, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Agatti Airport
| image = Agatti Airstrip.jpg
| image-width = 250
| caption = Aerial view of the airport in 2007
| IATA = AGX
| ICAO = VOAT
| pushpin_label = '''AGX'''
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of the airport in India
| type = Public
| owner =
| operator = [[Airports Authority of India]]
| city-served = [[Lakshadweep]], [[India]]
| location = [[Agatti Island]]
| elevation-f = 14
| elevation-m = 4
| coordinates = {{coord|10|49|41|N|72|10|44|E|display=inline,title}}
| website =
| metric-rwy = y
| metric-elev = y
| r1-number = 04/22
| r1-length-f = 4,235
| r1-length-m = 1,291
| r1-surface = [[Asphalt]]
| stat-year = 2019-20
| stat1-header = Passenger movements
| stat1-data = 41,146 ({{increase}} 7.3%)
| stat2-header = Small Aircraft movements
| stat2-data = 6,000 ({{increase}} 5%)
| stat3-header = Cargo tonnage
| stat3-data = 300 ({{increase}} 2.5%)
}}

'''Agatti Airport''' {{airport codes|AGX|VOAT}} is located on the southern end of [[Agatti Island]], in the [[union territory]] of [[Lakshadweep]] in [[India]]. It is the sole airstrip in the [[archipelago]], which lies off the west coast of mainland India.

==History==
The airstrip was constructed during 1987−88 for operation of [[Dornier 228]] type of aircraft and was inaugurated on 16 April 1988. Initially, the terminal was housed in a small temporary structure.
Construction of Terminal Building, Air Traffic Control Tower and related structures commenced in 2006. However, the construction of the Terminal Building was stopped midway due to the proposed extension of Runway & Basic strip.<ref name = "EIR">{{cite web |title=Environment Impact Assessment Report |url=http://lakshadweep.nic.in/Snt_EIA_2.htm |publisher=Union Territory of Lakshwadeep Official Website |access-date=12 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614123100/http://lakshadweep.nic.in/Snt_EIA_2.htm |archive-date=14 June 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[Air India Regional]] began services with [[ATR-42]] aircraft on 24 September 2010 connecting Agatti with Kochi.<ref name = "DAP">{{cite web |title= How to reach Lakshwadeep |url= http://lakshadweep.nic.in/howtoreach.html |publisher= Official Website of Union Territory of Lakshwadeep |access-date= 29 December 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141231102317/http://lakshadweep.nic.in/howtoreach.html |archive-date= 31 December 2014 |url-status= dead |df= dmy-all }}</ref>
The resurfacing of the runway was completed in November 2010.<ref name = "EIR"/> Alliance Air now operates ATR-72-600 aircraft on Bangalore-Cochin-Agatti sector

==Structure==
Agatti airport is spread over {{convert|18.56|ha}}. It has one asphalt runway, oriented 04/22, 1204 metres long and 30 metres wide, while its terminal building can handle 50 passengers during peak hours. Navigational aids include a [[Distance measuring equipment|DME]] and [[Non-directional beacon|NDB]]. It is operated by the [[Airports Authority of India]] (AAI).<ref>[http://www.aai.aero/allAirports/agatti_airpo_gi.jsp Agatti Aerodrome] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830060556/http://www.aai.aero/allAirports/agatti_airpo_gi.jsp |date=30 August 2017 }} at [[Airports Authority of India]]</ref>

==Expansion plans==
In 2013, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) received environmental clearance to extend the runway by constructing a 1,500-feet-long bridge on stilts over the sea. The extension is to be built at a cost of Rs 3 billion and will allow aircraft like the [[ATR-72]] to be operated without any payload restrictions.
AAI originally planned to construct a bridge between Agatti and the neighbouring uninhabited Kalpati Island to make the runway long enough to handle an [[Airbus A320 family|Airbus A320]] or [[Boeing 737]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Environmental Clearance for extension of runway at Agatti |url=http://environmentclearance.nic.in/writereaddata/Form-1A/Minutes/2%20_115th%20EAC%20Minutes.pdf |access-date=12 March 2013}}</ref> However, this plan was rejected on environmental grounds as the bridge would have gone through a turtle colony and [[Kalpati]] island would need to be leveled to accommodate the extended runway.<ref name = "TOI">{{cite news |title=Bridge on sea to extend Lakshadweep airport runway |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-02-06/india/36949117_1_runway-green-nod-agatti|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210031019/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-02-06/india/36949117_1_runway-green-nod-agatti|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 February 2013|work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=12 March 2013}}</ref>

As per the revised master plan,<ref name="EIR"/> the following works will be undertaken
* The existing runway will be extended by 336 metres in the south-west direction over the lagoon towards Kalpati Island without interconnecting the two islands.
* Construction of new Terminal building, ATC tower cum Technical block & Fire Station in the north-west direction by constructing a platform supported by R.C.C pillars on the lagoon.
* A fully air-conditioned Terminal building covering 2250 square metres to cater for 150 passengers at a time (75 arriving and 75 departing).
* The existing Control Tower cum fire station and existing Terminal building that falls inside of the proposed basic strip will be demolished.
* A new 118×62-metre [[airport ramp|apron]] suitable for parking two ATR-72 aircraft with power-in and power-out configuration will be constructed on a platform supported by RCC pillars in the lagoon.
* Runway End Safety Area (RESA) measuring 60×90 metres and a Blast Pad/Overrun area measuring 60×30 metres.
* 73-metre long taxiway from the Runway to the Apron.
* Parking area for 75 cars about {{convert|2000|m2}}.
* Proposed [[DVOR]] and NDB navigational aids will be placed on Kalpati island.

== Airlines and destinations ==
{{Airport-dest-list
|[[Alliance Air (India)|Alliance Air]]|[[cochin International Airport|Kochi]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Alliance Air Schedule|url=https://www.airindia.in/where-we-fly.htm|website=www.airindia.in|access-date=17 June 2021}}</ref>}}

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
{{commons-inline}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170830060556/http://www.aai.aero/allAirports/agatti_airpo_gi.jsp Agatti Airport] at the Airports Authority of India

{{Airports in India}}

[[Category:Airports in Lakshadweep]]
[[Category:Airports established in 1988]]
[[Category:1988 establishments in Lakshadweep]]

Agatti Airport - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 17:28, 13 August 2023