Existing airport ready for international flights
The new longer runway for the Gelephu Airport will run parallel to the existing one and will extend towards Sarpang (and not towards Mao Khola). The runway will pass over Paitha Khola river and Aiepoli river. Land needed for this has been acquired and finalised, as per the reports.
The 3,000 metres runway and the new Terminal Building and associated infrastructure are estimated to cost around Nu. 20 billion – and will be able to accommodate the Airbus a320 family and Airbus a350.
The existing airport with its small terminal building and the 1500m runway, while serving the domestic flights, will also cater to regional flights such as to Kolkata, Guwahati and Bagdogra. The Department of Air Transport has officially renamed the airport as Gelephu International Airport and received the international certification from the ICAO (UN agency that looks after aviation). International flights to the above destinations will start soon using the existing Druk Air ATR-42. Some clearances for the air route from the respective governments are awaited. (Source: The Bhutanese and Department of Air Transport, Paro International Airport)
What does this mean for GMC?
In my view, potential investors can fly in directly from India, Nepal and Bangladesh in the immediate future. Bhutanese people living in Gelephu and in the nearly Dzongkhags can fly out without having to drive to Paro to catch the flight. Indians living in nearby Assamese districts can use it too. Connectivity is the key to any economic growth and nothing is faster, safer and reliable than air connections. And since the airport has been certified, private business jets can also fly there, which will facilitate the travels of large international investors.
In 2 years time, hopefully we should have the new airport up and running. My dream is to see our own airlines acquire an Airbus a321 and fly direct to Australia, Dubai and Kuwait. Establishing such physical connections may perhaps reverse the migration, or at least create a circular one with investments and movements and keep the emotional connection with the country.
Druk Air that flies on Fridays and Sundays is reportedly seeing an average of 20 passengers on every flight (the plane capacity is 30). As I mentioned in my earlier post, if we make service available, people will find ways to use it.
Technically, it is also possible to land the Airbus a320 types of aircrafts on this 1500m runway but may require special certification of pilots to do that since it is stretching a bit. However, this would link Gelephu immediately to Delhi, Bangkok and Singapore. There are few international airports around the world (Santos Dumont Airport – Rio de Janeiro – Brazil) that have shorter runways than Gelephu and where Airbus 320 and Boeing 737 operate.
Another key infrastructure is the railway link, which will facilitate export of boulders and agriculture products while bringing down the prices of imported goods. The railway connection is also really important because a project as massive as an entire new city cannot be done by depending on the trucks and taxis only. Heard the Northeast Frontier Railway are working on that. Hope the imminent visit of the Indian PM will give a new impetus.
Dreaming on? Sure, for, there is no cost to dreaming. It actually feels nice. Better than engulfing yourself with negativity and pessimism.
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