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Flight operations began from 10 September 2023, by shifting all flight operations to this airport from the existing Rajkot Airport. As of September 2023, the airport serves to only domestic destinations, with international destinations expected to begin by the end of 2023.
Land acquisition issues delayed the tendering process by a few months. Afcons, Dilip Buildcon, Gayatri Projects, Larsen & Toubro and Reliance Infrastructure were among the bidders for the Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) tender floated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The financial bids were opened on 9 August 2018 and Dilip Buildcon emerged as the lowest bidder. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its approval for the project on 28 February 2019. Subsequently, in March 2019, Reliance Infrastructure was awarded the EPC contract worth ₹648 crore (US$78 million) to construct the airport. The construction was given a completion deadline of within 30 months. The contract also requires the contractor to provide operation and maintenance services for a period of two years following the commissioning of the project. The Central Government had initially sanctioned ₹1,405 crore (US$170 million) for the project, but revised the amount in June 2019 to ₹2,654 crore (US$320 million).
The airport was expected to be completed and opened on 31 December 2023. However, it was completed before time in the last quarter of June 2023, and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 27 July 2023.
Infrastructure
The airport is capable of handling Airbus A380, Boeing 747 and Boeing 777 type of widebody aircraft, and has a rainwater harvesting system, solar power system and a green belt along its periphery to act as a noise barrier. It has a built-up area of 23,000 sq.m. and has an Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, four aerobridges, an apron suitable for parking of 14 aircraft, three conveyor belts, 20 check-in counters, advanced firefighting systems along with modern and efficient passenger facilities. It will be capable of serving over 1,800 passengers during peak hours.The airport, measuring 2,534 acres (10.25 km), is situated 36 km from the existing Rajkot Airport, whose capacity is constrained and cannot be expanded because of urban growth around it.