Deesa Airport
{{Short description|Airport in Gujarat, India}}
{{Essay-like|date=June 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Deesa Airport
| image =
| image-width =
| caption =
| IATA =
| ICAO = VADS
| pushpin_map = India Gujarat#India
| pushpin_relief = 1
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of the airport in Gujarat
| pushpin_label = Deesa Airport
| pushpin_label_position = right
| type = Public
| owner =
| operator = Airports Authority of India
| city-served = Deesa
| location = Deesa, India
| elevation-f = 485
| elevation-m = 148
| coordinates = {{Coord|24|16|04.57|N|072|12|15.96|E|type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 14
| website =
| metric-elev =
| metric-rwy =
| r1-number = 06/024
| r1-length-f = 3300
| r1-length-m = 1006
| r1-surface = Asphalt
| r2-number =
| r2-length-f =
| r2-length-m =
| r2-surface =
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| footnotes =
}}
Deesa Airport (also spelled Disa Airport) is an airport in Deesa, Gujarat. It is managed by the Airports Authority of India.{{cite news|title=Helipad in every taluka {{sic|headqua|ters|nolink=y}} |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Helipad-in-every-taluka-headquaters/articleshow/11273994.cms|access-date=2 January 2017|newspaper=The Times of India|date=28 December 2011}}
Overview
The airport hit national headlines in February 2011 when Subramanian Swamy claimed that 2G case accused Shahid Balwa illegally used the airport to secretly transport VIPs and criminals in and out of the country.{{cite news|title=Balwa ran illegal airport: Swamy|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article1482340.ece|access-date=23 January 2012|newspaper=The Hindu|date=23 February 2011}} The Airports Authority of India denied this was the case, stating that the airstrip was not used for the last two years, due to the poor condition of the airstrip, adding that it was fit only for paragliding.{{cite news|title=Officials trash Swamy's charges on Balwa using Deesa airstrip|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/officials-trash-swamys-charges-on-balwa-using-deesa-airstrip/781452/|access-date=23 January 2012|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=26 April 2011}} The airfield was most recently used for a sky diving program in 2013.{{cite news|title=Flying high, participants get thrill of adventure|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Flying-high-participants-get-thrill-of-adventure/articleshow/1593007.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025030751/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-02-11/india/27872838_1_sky-divers-deesa-ipf|url-status=live|archive-date=25 October 2012|newspaper=The Times of India|date=11 February 2007}}
In September 2011, A K Gogoi, Commander in Chief, South Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force announced that there was a proposal to develop Deesa Airport into a full-fledged Air Base and that the Defence Ministry had approved this proposal. Deesa was chosen due to its strategic location, being close to the international border with Pakistan. The first phase of this proposal includes spending {{INRconvert|3000|c}} on strengthening airport infrastructure.{{cite web|title=Nod Given to Develop Deesa Airport as Air Base: IAF |url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=733292 |publisher=Outlook India |access-date=23 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407050645/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=733292 |archive-date=7 April 2014 }}{{cite news|title=IAF set to turn Deesa airport into airbase|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/iaf-set-to-turn-deesa-airport-into-airbase/840545/0|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=2 September 2011}}
In March 2018, the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by the Prime Minister of India approved the forward air force base plan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/centre-clears-plans-for-iaf-base-close-to-pakistan-border-in-gujarat/story-Y8L4AsvhZceQFNnWr3l5oM.html|title=Centre clears plans for IAF base close to Pakistan border in Gujarat|date=23 March 2018|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}
In October 2020, the Government sanction was given for the infrastructure activities of the approved Air Force Base,{{Cite web|date=2020-11-12|title=IAF chief inaugurates operational infra activities at Deesa Air Force station in Gujarat|url=https://www.deshgujarat.com/2020/11/12/iaf-chief-inaugurates-operational-infra-activities-at-deesa-air-force-station-in-gujarat/|access-date=2020-11-12|website=DeshGujarat|language=en-US}} in November 2020, they were inaugurated by the Indian Air Force's Chief Marshal, RKS Bhadauria.{{Cite web|title=गुजरातः वायुसेना प्रमुख ने एयर फोर्स स्टेशन डीसा में बुनियादी ढांचे की गतिविधियों का उद्घाटन किया|url=https://www.amarujala.com/india-news/iaf-chief-rks-bhadauria-visited-bases-at-air-force-station-deesa-and-inaugurated-operational-infrastructure-activities|access-date=2020-11-12|website=Amar Ujala|language=hi}}
On 30 September 2022, the groundbreaking ceremony for runway and allied infrastructure at the Deesa Air Force station was held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The project will cost {{INRconvert|1000|c}}.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-30 |title=વડાપ્રધાનનો અંબાજી પ્રવાસ: બનાસકાંઠાને 6909 કરોડના વિકાસ કામોની ભેટ આપી, મા અંબાના ચરણોમાં શિશ ઝૂકાવી પૂજા કરી |url=https://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/local/gujarat/banaskantha/news/6909-crore-development-works-in-banaskantha-will-be-launched-and-completed-130382820.html |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=Divya Bhaskar |language=gu}} The air base is spread over an area of {{convert|4000|acre}}. The new runway was constructed at cost of {{INRconvert|394|c}} and was inaugurated on 21 February 2024 by PM Modi.{{Cite web |last=DeshGujarat |date=2024-02-21 |title=PM Narendrabhai Modi to inaugurate runway at Air Force Station Deesa in Gujarat |url=https://deshgujarat.com/2024/02/21/pm-narendrabhai-modi-to-inaugurate-runway-at-air-force-station-deesa-in-gujarat/#:~:text=A%204,000%20acres%20air%20base,of%20Gujarat,%20Maharashtra%20and%20Rajasthan. |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=DeshGujarat |language=en-US}}
References
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