Kargil Airport

Kargil Airport کارگل ہوائی اڈا Kārgil Havā'ī Aḍā
IATA: none – ICAO: VI65
Summary
Airport type	Military
Operator	Indian Air Force
Serves	Kargil
Location	Kargil, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Elevation AMSL	9,604 ft ft / 2,927 m m
Coordinates	34°31′22″N 076°09′18″E / 34.52278°N 76.15500°E / 34.52278; 76.15500Coordinates: 34°31′22″N 076°09′18″E / 34.52278°N 76.15500°E / 34.52278; 76.15500
Map
VI65 Show map of Jammu and Kashmir VI65 Show map of India Location in Jammu and Kashmir
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 02/20 6,004 x 106 ft 1,830 x 32 m Asphalt

Kargil Airport is a military airfield in Kargil district 6 km away from Kargil and 210 km from Srinagar. It is one of the 4 airports in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. It was built by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at a cost of 350 million Rupees, initially for civilian use but was transferred to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2003 after it was damaged in the Kargil War in 1999.^[1][2] The civil enclave at the airfield is managed by the State Government.

The IAF plans to convert the airport into a full-fledged air force base by 2016.^[3] The Air Force uses its An-32 aircraft for an air courier service that transports civilians from Kargil to Srinagar and Jammu during the harsh winter season.^[4][5][6]

The airport is a much debated issue for local politicians as well as the public who pursue the point that the airport should be thrown open to commercial civilian services.^[7][8] Air Mantra became the first ever commercial company to land a civilian aircraft at the airport when it landed a 17-seater aircraft with dignitaries including Chief Minister of the state Omar Abdullah on board in January, 2012.^[9]

References