Fursatganj Airfield

Fursatganj Airport Amethi Airport
IATA: none ICAO: VERB
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India
Operator	Airports Authority of India
Serves	Raebareli & Amethi
Location	Fursatganj, Amethi district, Uttar Pradesh, India
Elevation AMSL	359 ft / 109 m
Coordinates	26.2516646°N 81.3863976°E / 26.2516646; 81.3863976
Map
Fursatganj Airport Fursatganj Airport
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 09/27 6,118 1,864.77 Asphalt

Fursatganj Airport or Fursatganj Airfield is an under-construction domestic airport and functional airfield at Fursatganj of Amethi district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi is a flight training school established in 1986 and co-located with the airfield under the government of India.

Airlines and destinations

The airport/airstrip has only unscheduled chartered flights.

Consideration of a new world class civil aviation university

Rahul Gandhi rather than any other of the civil aviation officials announced the much-awaited venue of the civil aviation university, which till date was a mystery. Addressing a public function at Fursatganj in Raebareli district, Uttar Pradesh (present-day Amethi district, Uttar Pradesh), Gandhi surprised everyone by his announcement, proposing that Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University would be built at Fursatganj with an aim to give better training facilities to the pilots. He also announced the expansion of Fursatganj airport, so that farmers' produce can be exported. The announcement was made at a function to mark the 25th anniversary of Indira Gandhi National Aviation Academy (IGRUA), a premier academy of pilot training in India, where Vayalar Ravi was also present. On 17 October, during the International Civil Aviation Conference in Mumbai, Ravi had announced the plans for the university. Since then, he is believed to be pitching hard for the institution to come to his home turf. MiD DAY had reported ('Kerala to host world class aviation school', 19 October) that during discussions for the project, debates supported that the university should be located between northern and western India, but the aviation minister was of a view that the university must be established in Kerala but again the question comes, why it was not done between 2004-2014?.

Proposed extension of the airport

The aviation ministry has decided that Airports Authority of India will extend the 6,000-ft-long runway at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) at Raebareli (present-day Amethi) to make it fit for bigger jets. And AAI will also construct a passenger terminal to have an airport to replace what is only a flying academy now but then again, the question comes: why was it not done between 2004 and 2014?.

Extension of runway

The decision was taken at IGRUA in a meeting that Rahul had with then aviation minister Vayalar Ravi (Ajit Singh, also from UP, was sworn in as aviation minister on Sunday), aviation secretary Nasim Zaidi and other top officials. The runway is currently 6,000 ft which will be extended to 7,500 ft and then 9,000 ft in the second stage, said sources,but then again, the question comes: why was it not done between 2004 and 2014? .

Estimated cost

The estimated cost for the 7,500-ft runway and terminal is Rs 150 crore and it will cost another Rs 100 crore for expanding it, said sources. While a proposal for funding this would be sent to the Planning Commission, aviation authorities estimate that about 350 acres would be needed. The move is expected to lead to economic development - and rich political harvest - as Raebareli could become the fifth city in UP to have an airport after Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra and Kanpur but then again, the question comes: why was it not done between 2004 and 2014?.

See also

• Chaudhary Charan Singh Airport
• Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport
• Noida International Airport
• Kanpur Airport
• Allahabad Airport
• Ayodhya Airport
• Sultanpur Airport