Tezu Airport
{{Short description|Airport of Arunachal Pradesh, India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Tezu Airport
| nativename =
| nativename-a =
| nativename-r =
| image =
| image-width = 250px
| caption =
| IATA = TEI
| ICAO = VETJ
| type = Public
| owner =
| operator = Airports Authority of India
| city-served = Lohit district
| location = Tezu, Arunachal Pradesh, India
| elevation-f = 769
| elevation-m = 234
| pushpin_map = India Arunachal Pradesh#India
| pushpin_label = TEI
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of airport in Arunachal Pradesh
| coordinates = {{coord|27.9422|96.1339|type:airport_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| website = [https://www.aai.aero/en/airports/tezu Tezu Airport]
| metric-elev =
| metric-rwy =
| r1-number = 04/22
| r1-length-f = 4,921
| r1-length-m = 1,500
| r1-surface = Concrete
| stat-year = April 2024 - March 2025
| stat1-header = Passengers
| stat1-data = 9,239 ({{decrease}} 23.3%)
| stat2-header = Aircraft movements
| stat2-data = 463 ({{decrease}} 48.8%)
| footnotes = Source: AAI{{cite web|title=Annexure III – Passenger Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k25Annex3.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=4 May 2025}}{{cite web|title=Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k25Annex2.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=4 May 2025}}{{cite web|title=Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k25Annex4.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=4 May 2025}}
| stat3-data = —
| stat3-header = Cargo tonnage
}}
Tezu Airport {{Airport codes|TEI|VETJ}} is a domestic airport serving the city of Tezu and adjoining Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. It is India's easternmost airport, operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which upgraded it to handle ATR-72 aircraft{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/construction-work-gained-momentum-for-tezu-airport-in-arunachal/article5534189.ece |title=Construction work gained momentum for Tezu airport in Arunachal | work=The Hindu |date=3 January 2014 |access-date= 6 January 2014}} with no night-landing facility.{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/by-air-or-road-tezu-is-now-a-vantage-point/article17409539.ece |title=By air or road, Tezu is now a vantage point | work= The Hindu |date=4 March 2017 |access-date= 28 November 2017}} Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the upgraded airport on 9 February 2019.{{cite news|url=https://www.sentinelassam.com/news/modi-opens-tezu-airport-lays-stone-for-greenfield-airport/ |title=Modi opens Tezu Airport, lays stone for Greenfield Airport | publisher= The Sentinel |date=10 February 2019 |access-date= 11 February 2019}} Scheduled commercial flights commenced from 19 August 2021. currently it provides VFR operations only during day time.
Development
Tezu was one of five airports that were shortlisted in 2015 for the implementation of AAI's "no-frills model", which will provide only essential services needed to operationalise the airport, without compromising on safety and security in any way. With an aim to ensure low cost of operation, the airport was to have no conveyor belts, no aerobridges and only the security hold area for departing passengers was likely to be air-conditioned.{{cite news |url=http://www.livemint.com/Companies/5vySwgvpU4zKViXriL11RM/Govt-clears-five-budget-airports-to-improve-regional-connect.html |title=Govt clears five budget airports to improve regional connectivity | publisher= Live Mint |date=9 September 2014 |access-date= 28 November 2017}}
In 2009–10, the upgrade of the airport, with runway extension at an estimated cost of {{INR|79 crore}}, was approved.{{cite news|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=62260 |title=Report to the People 2009-10| publisher=Press Information Bureau |date=2 June 2010 |access-date= 6 January 2014}}
On 22 September 2017, a test flight landed on the runway after the airport was upgraded.{{cite news|url=https://arunachaltimes.in/index.php/2017/09/23/test-flight-conducted-in-tezu-airport/|title=Test flight conducted in Tezu Airport | publisher= The Arunachal Times |date=23 September 2017 |access-date= 28 November 2017}}
On 9 February 2019, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, inaugurated the upgraded airport.
Soon after the opening of the upgraded airport, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced that a new, bigger passenger terminal, a new Air Traffic Control (ATC)-cum-fire station complex, apron and runway extension would be done in a span of four years, as part of the airport's future development and the government's UDAN Scheme, also owing to the growing traffic and tourist arrivals in the state. The new terminal will cover an area of 4,000 sq.m. with a capacity of 300 passengers during peak hours. It will have five check-in counters, which will be increased to eight in the future. It will have a double-insulated roofing system, energy-efficient lighting systems, a solid waste management system, a water treatment plant and an integrated rainwater harvesting plant.
The works commenced in mid-2019, and the airport was inaugurated again, this time by the Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, and the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, on 24 September 2023.{{cite news|last=Sharma|first=Sumit|title=Tezu Airport in Arunachal Pradesh Gets Mega 170 Crore Makeover - What's Inside|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/fire-station-cum-atc-tower-5-check-in-counters-arunachal-gets-rs-170-cr-revamped-tezu-airport-details-article-103908310|work=Times Now|date=24 September 2023|access-date=30 September 2023|language=en}}
Facilities
The airport has a 1,500 metre-runway, oriented 04/22, an apron for parking of twoATR-72 type aircraft, a passenger terminal building of 4,000 square-metre area,{{cite news|url=https://www.news18.com/news/auto/flybig-launches-commercial-flight-services-between-guwahati-and-tezu-in-india-4107668.html|title=Flybig Launches Commercial Flight Services Between Guwahati and Tezu in India|work=News18|date=20 August 2021|access-date=14 September 2021}} capable of handling 300 passengers during peak hours. It has five check-in counters, which will be increased to eight in the future. It has a double-insulated roofing system, energy-efficient lighting systems, a solid waste management system, a water treatment plant and an integrated rainwater harvesting plant. Others are an Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, a parking lot and ancillary facilities like a fire station and a fuel station.{{cite news|url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/JR9RGL2qeHmwAEz5ZvHgJO/Five-towns-that-are-being-added-to-Indias-airport-map.html|title=Five towns that are being added to India's airport map|work=Mint|date=16 July 2015|access-date=28 November 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.northeasttoday.in/air-connectivity-soon-in-tezu/|title=Air Connectivity Soon in Tezu|work=Northeast Today|date=27 November 2017|access-date=28 November 2017}}
Scheduled commercial operations
Guwahati-Tezu-Guwahati scheduled commercial domestic flights operation commenced from 19 August 2021. The flight which takes 1 hour each way is operated by the FlyBig. This will boost the tourism in the region.{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/itanagar/arunachal-pradesh-first-commercial-flight-lands-at-tezu/articleshow/85480015.cms | title= Arunachal Pradesh: First commercial flight lands at Tezu | publisher= Times of India |date=20 August 2021 |access-date= 13 September 2021}} Tezu is covered under the UDAN scheme.
Tezu is also an ALG of Indian Military. Other nearby airports include dibrugarh Airport,Pasighat Airport, Zero Airport,
Walong ALG, Itanagar Airport, etc.
Currently an Alliance Air dornier aircraft is operating between TEZU and Hollongi on Tuesday & Thursday only. An Alliance Air ATR-76 is connecting Tezu with Guwahati, Jorhat & Imphal on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Airlines and destinations
{{Airport-dest-list
| Alliance Air | Guwahati{{cn|date=December 2024}}, Imphal{{cn|date=December 2024}}, Itanagar,{{cn|date=December 2024}} Jorhat{{cn|date=December 2024}}
}}
== Statistics ==
{{Airport-Statistics|iata=TEI}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://aai.aero/allAirports/tezu.jsp Tezu Airport at AAI]
{{Airports in India}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Airports in Arunachal Pradesh
Category:Airports with year of establishment missing
{{India-airport-stub}}
{{ArunachalPradesh-stub}}