Aug 4, 2025: The Udhampur airport project in Jammu and Kashmir will be implemented in two phases, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Sunday. The minister issued the statement from New Delhi following a series of meetings held over the past two days with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, Union Civil Aviation Secretary Samir K Sinha, and senior officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
Earlier, Singh had also taken up the matter with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, to whom he had officially written. Following that, the CM provided a response. Singh said he has also engaged with the relevant Indian Air Force (IAF) authorities, whose cooperation is essential to the project.
In a formal statement, Singh stated, "Efforts to commence civil flight operations from the Udhampur Air Force Station have now taken a significant step forward, with the AAI completing a site feasibility assessment and initiating formal procedures for the development of a new Aviation Enclave." After the inclusion of Kishtwar airport in the UDAN scheme, which aims to improve air connectivity in remote and hilly areas, he noted that this is the region's second major civil aviation initiative. A reference to the AAI made by Singh initially sparked the Udhampur proposal. In response, a technical team comprising officials from various AAI directorates visited the Udhampur Air Force Station on March 28 and 29, 2025. A joint review with the IAF, an assessment of the existing infrastructure, and discussions with the district administration and defense authorities were all part of the visit. Phase 1, according to the phased development plan, will begin civil flight operations within the Air Force Station's current facilities. The IAF has, in principle, agreed to allocate 2,200 square metres of land for the construction of a terminal building. This terminal will accommodate ATR-72 or Q400 aircraft and accommodate up to 150 passengers. This arrangement is seen as a temporary solution to speed up the start of flight operations. Phase 2 envisions the creation of a dedicated Civil Enclave outside the Air Force Station premises. The administration of the district has chosen a parcel of land with approximately 27.6 acres for this purpose. A new terminal building, apron, taxiway, and other civil aviation infrastructure will be included in the proposed enclave, which will accommodate larger aircraft like the Airbus A321 Following the site visit, Singh formally approached Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to seek administrative support and land transfer for the proposed Civil Enclave. In accordance with the provisions of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016, the AAI has also submitted a request to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, requesting its intervention to secure the identified land parcel at no cost and without encumbrances.