Bhadrapur Airport (IATA: BDP, ICAO: VNCG), also known as Chandragadhi Airport,[1] is a domestic airport located in Bhadrapur, primarily serving Jhapa and Ilam districts in Koshi Province, Nepal.[2] The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal considers it an important hub for passengers entering Nepal from the north eastern states of India, and the passengers from Bhutan and Bangladesh.[3]

Bhadrapur Airport

भद्रपुर विमानस्थल
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerGovernment of Nepal
OperatorCivil Aviation Authority of Nepal
ServesBhadrapur, Nepal
Elevation AMSL308 ft / 94 m
Coordinates26°34′14″N 88°04′46″E / 26.57056°N 88.07944°E / 26.57056; 88.07944
Websiteairports.caanepal.gov.np/chandragadi/
Map
Bhadrapur Airport is located in Nepal
Bhadrapur Airport
Bhadrapur Airport
Location of airport in Nepal
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
10/28 1,500 4,921 Asphalt

History

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Tarmac at Bhadrapur Airport
 
Chandragadi Airport

In the October of 1963, it was reported that the Government of Nepal was constructing an aerodrome in Bhadrapur, Jhapa with Chinese help. The initial project was for military purpose. And that Pakistan had expressed its desire to link it with an air service from Dhaka, Bhadrapur, Kathmandu, Karachi.[4] Photovoltaic cells were used for the first time in Nepal at this airport for running navigation equipment.[5][6][7]

The airport has served as an airfield since November 1963.[8] Originally a grass runway, it was re-laid in concrete and has been extended several times. The airport was named "Airport of the Year 2013" by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.[9] On 31 January 2018, Prime Minister K.P. Oli inaugurated a newly built RNAV system at the airport, making it capable of handling night flights.[10]

Facilities

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The airport is located at 300 feet (91 m) elevation. It has one runway designated 10/28 with an asphalt surface measuring 1,500 by 30 metres (4,921 ft × 98 ft).[1] All commercial airlines operate through one small terminal of Bhadrapur Airport.[11]

Airlines and destinations

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AirlinesDestinations
Buddha Air Kathmandu, Pokhara–International
Guna Airlines Kathmandu[12]
Saurya Airlines Kathmandu
Shree Airlines Kathmandu
Sita Air Taplejung, Charter: Kathmandu[13]
Yeti Airlines Kathmandu

References

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  1. ^ a b c Airport information for VNCG[usurped] from DAFIF (effective October 2006)
  2. ^ a b Airport information for Chandragadhi / Bhadrapur, Nepal (VNCG / BDP) at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
  3. ^ a b "Chandragadhi Airport" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  4. ^ Aeroplane and Commercial Aviation News. 25 October 1962.
  5. ^ Gautam, Bidur Raj; Li, Fengting; Ru, Guo (1 January 2015). "Assessment of urban roof top solar photovoltaic potential to solve power shortage problem in Nepal". Energy and Buildings. 86: 740. doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.10.038. ISSN 0378-7788.
  6. ^ "InDepth: A snapshot of Nepal's energy ecosystem". 21 June 2022. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  7. ^ Adhikari, Krishna Raj (20 December 2019). "Solar Energy Potential and Its Utilization in Perovskite-Based Solar Cells for Selected Sites in Nepal". Tribhuvan University Journal. 33 (2): 45–58. doi:10.3126/tuj.v33i2.33604. ISSN 2091-0916. S2CID 237567165.
  8. ^ Anurup, Pathak (25 July 2017). "Chandragdi Airport sees improvement with introduction of enhanced security screening systems". Aviation Nepal. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  9. ^ Anurup, Pathak (10 November 2016). "A walk around Chandragadhi Domestic Airport". Aviation Nepal. Archived from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  10. ^ Prasain, Sangam (31 January 2019). "Six airports in southern plains can handle night flights". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  11. ^ Carroll, Peter (2 February 2012). Gurkha: The True Story of a Campaign for Justice. Biteback Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84954-304-0.
  12. ^ "Guna Airlines". Guna Airlines. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  13. ^ "Sita Air to conduct Kathmandu-Taplejung-Bhadrapur flights during Dashain". Khabarhub. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
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