Vijaysakumedia at 04:27, 11 April 2026

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{{Short description|Airport in Chhattisgarh India}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Bilasa Devi Kevat Airport
| image = Bilaspur Airport (Chakarbhata Airport) 5.4.2021.png
| caption =
| IATA = PAB
| ICAO = VEBU
| pushpin_map = India Chhattisgarh#India
| pushpin_mapsize = 250
| pushpin_label = '''PAB'''
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of airport in Chhattisgarh
| type = Public
| owner =
| operator = [[Government of Chhattisgarh]]
| city-served = [[Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh|Bilaspur]]
| location = Chakarbhata, Bilaspur, [[Chhattisgarh]], [[India]]
| opened = {{start date and age|1942|||df=y|p=n|br=n}}
| elevation-f = 899
| elevation-m = 274
| coordinates = {{coord|21|59|18|N|82|06|40|E|type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| website = [https://bilaspur.gov.in/en/bilaspur-airport/ Bilaspur Airport]
| metric-elev = y
| metric-rwy = y
| r1-number = 17/35
| r1-length-f = 5,035
| r1-length-m = 1,535
| r1-surface = [[Asphalt concrete|Asphalt]]
| stat-year = April 2023 - March 2024
| stat1-header = Passengers
| stat1-data = 31,083 ({{decrease}} 21.4%)
| stat2-header = Aircraft movements
| stat2-data = 830 ({{decrease}} 29.9%)
| stat3-header = Cargo tonnage
| stat3-data = —
| footnotes = Source: [[Airports Authority of India|AAI]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Annexure III – Passenger Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k24Annex3.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=24 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k24Annex2.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=24 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k24Annex4.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=24 April 2024}}</ref>
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 10
}}

'''Bilasa Devi Kevat Airport''' {{Airport codes|PAB|VEBU}}, also known as '''Bilaspur Airport''', is a [[domestic airport]] serving the city of [[Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh|Bilaspur]], [[Chhattisgarh]], [[India]]. It is located at Chakarbhata, {{cvt|10|km}} south from the city centre. The airport made by the [[Royal Indian Air Force]] in 1942, making it the first and oldest airport of Chhattisgarh. It is owned by the [[Airports Authority of India]]. In 1980s, the airport was used by [[Vayudoot]] to provide flights to [[Bhopal]], [[Nagpur]], [[Mumbai]] and [[Delhi]]. Currently, commercial scheduled flights are operated by [[Alliance Air (India)|Alliance Air]] to Bhopal, Delhi, [[Jabalpur]] and [[Prayagraj]]. It is named after Bilasa Bai Kevtin, a renowned 16th-century personality known for her bravery and courage to fight against difficult situations, who belonged to a fishermen tribe residing near the [[Arpa (river), Chhattisgarh|Arpa River]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bilaspur airport to be named after Bilasa Bai Kevtin: Chhattisgarh CM|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/raipur/bilaspur-airport-to-be-named-after-bilasa-bai-kevtin-chhattisgarh-cm/articleshow/80091544.cms|work=The Times of India|date=4 January 2021|access-date=2 May 2023|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
Built in 1942, it opened as [[Royal Indian Air Force]] Station, Bilaspur, in the [[Central Provinces]] of [[British India]]. It was used as an airfield during [[World War II]]. It was used by No. 267 Squadron, No. 96 Squadron, No. 10 Squadron, and other units. No. 673 Squadron undertook sporadic glider training and courses in jungle warfare in 1945 in the air force station. It never undertook operational duties because of the [[Japan|Japanese]] surrender. Some operational missions were undertaken; however the pilots of this squadron detached to other units, flying [[Douglas DC-3|Dakotas]] and [[Stinson L-5 Sentinel|L-5 Sentinels]]. The squadron disbanded at Kargi Road Airstrip, another military airfield in Bilaspur, on 25 October 1945. After [[Independence Day (India)|India got independence from Great Britain]], the airfield was transferred to the war department of the [[Government of India]]. The [[Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India)|Directorate General of Civil Aviation]] (DGCA) took control of the airport, followed by the [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Ministry of Civil Aviation]].

The airport was associated with commercial flight operations to [[Nagpur]], [[Aurangabad]], [[Mumbai]], [[Raipur]] and [[Bhopal]] in 1988, operated by [[Vayudoot]].

The [[Indian Army]] intends to take over the airport and establish a training facility for the special forces. The existing para-military commando training facility at [[Nahan]], [[Himachal Pradesh]] is to be shifted to Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.<ref>{{cite news|title=Helicopters recalled from UN duty to combat Naxals |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/179344/helicopters-recalled-un-duty-combat.html |newspaper=[[Deccan Herald]] |date= 26 July 2010 |access-date=26 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Special forces school shift |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100805/jsp/frontpage/story_12774012.jsp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120919095048/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100805/jsp/frontpage/story_12774012.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 September 2012 |publisher=[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)]] |date= 5 August 2010 |access-date=26 January 2012 |location=Calcutta, India |first=Nishit |last=Dholabhai}}</ref> The Army wants use of the entire airport, while AAI has made a "conditional offer" of parting with 377 acres, while retaining 56 acres for a [[civil enclave]].<ref>{{cite news|title=AAI has a list of grouses with Army |url=http://www.asianage.com/india/aai-has-list-grouses-army-327 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020140556/http://www.asianage.com/india/aai-has-list-grouses-army-327 |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 October 2018 |publisher=[[The Asian Age]] |date=18 September 2010 |access-date=25 January 2012 }}</ref> On 7 December 2018, the airport got the commercial licence from the DGCA for operating commercial flights by using 19-seater aircraft. On 27 January 2021, the airport got the commercial licence from DGCA for operating commercial flights, this time for 72-seater aircraft.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bilaspur airport gets commercial flight license |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/bilaspur-airport-gets-706778.html |publisher=[[Deccan Herald]]}}</ref> On 2 February 2021, the former Union [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Minister of Civil Aviation]], [[Hardeep Singh Puri]], announced that commercial flight services will be operational from the airport to [[Prayagraj]], [[Delhi]], Bhopal and [[Jabalpur]] from 1 March 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.patrika.com/raipur-news/bilaspur-delhi-new-flight-service-will-start-from-march-1-6676486/ |title=Bilaspur-Delhi air service will start from March 1, Union Civil Aviation Minister announced |publisher= [[Rajasthan Patrika]] |access-date=2 February 2021}}</ref> As of May 2023, [[Alliance Air (India)|Alliance Air]] operates regular and weekly flights to Bhopal, [[Indore]], Prayagraj and Jabalpur.

==Airfield==

[[File:Alliance Air Aircraft at Bilaspur Airport 566836888.png|thumb|Apron area of the airport]]

The airport has a passenger terminal, an [[Air Traffic Control]] (ATC) tower and one runway, oriented 17/35, is 1,535 metres long and 30 metres wide, with turning pads at both ends. A 630-metre long taxiway connects the runway to a small [[helipad]]-cum-[[Airport ramp|apron]], among other ancillary facilities, like a fire station. It is situated at an elevation of 276 metres above mean sea level.

The runway at present caters to only [[ATR 72|ATR-72]] type aircraft, which is too small for handling larger aircraft like the [[Boeing 737]] and [[Airbus A320 family|Airbus A320]], which need a runway at least 2,190 metres in length and 45 metres in width (6,860 ft.). This means low-cost carriers like [[IndiGo]], [[AIX Connect]] and [[Go First]], which have a fleet of the types of aircraft mentioned above, cannot serve the airport until the runway is extended and widened.

==Airlines and destinations==

{{Airport-dest-list

| [[Alliance Air (India)|Alliance Air]] | [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Delhi]], [[Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport|Kolkata]], [[Prayagraj Airport|Prayagraj]]
}}

== Statistics ==
{{Airport-Statistics|iata=PAB}}

==2019 Indefinite Strike==

On 26 October 2019, a large number of local residents began an indefinite strike to protest against the [[Government of India|Central]] and [[Government of Chhattisgarh|State]] Governments for demanding more air connectivity from the airport, at a city townhall, named Raghvendra Rao Bhawan. Their demands were as follows:

* The airport should be upgraded to a full-fledged 4C category airport, by expanding the runway to facilitate larger aircraft to operate, or to develop a new completely new airport.
* Connectivity to metro cities like [[Delhi]], [[Mumbai]], [[Chennai]], [[Bengaluru]], etc.

The people also started gathering on the social media platforms of [[Twitter]] and [https://instagram.com/bilaspur_airport?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Instagram], by creating a group named '' "BAAC" '' (Bilaspur Airport Awareness Campaign), for the same demands, asking directly to the [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Ministry of Civil Aviation]], [[Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh]] and the Member of Parliament and Legislative Assembly of [[Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Bilaspur constituency]] to draw their attention towards development of the airport and to take immediate actions. The group on the two social media platforms was created so that people among it share updates and announcements based on the airport's development.

As of May 2023, the airport has been operationalized for 3C operations, and has regular and weekly flights to [[Delhi]] via [[Jabalpur]] and [[Allahabad]], along with [[Bhopal]] and [[Indore]], both of which are suspended due to some issues with the only operating airline, [[Alliance Air (India)|Alliance Air]]. Local residents of [[Bilaspur district, Chhattisgarh|Bilaspur district]] are still continuing their strike by asking for the airport upgradation from 3C to 4C category.

==See also==
* [[Raipur Airport|Swami Vivekananda International Airport, Raipur]]
* [[Jagdalpur Airport]]
* [[Jharsuguda Airport]]
* [[List of airports in India]]
* [[List of the busiest airports in India]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Airports in India}}

* [https://instagram.com/bilaspur_airport?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Bilaspur Airport at Instagram]

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:Airports in Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:Military airbases established in 1942]]
[[Category:1942 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Airports Authority of India]]

Bilasa Devi Kevat Airport - Revision history

Vijaysakumedia at 04:27, 11 April 2026