Lilabari Airport
Lilabari Airport | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Airports Authority of India | ||||||||||
| Serves | North Lakhimpur | ||||||||||
| Location | Lilabari, North Lakhimpur, Assam, India | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 330 ft (100 m) | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 27°17′44″N 094°05′52″E / 27.29556°N 94.09778°E | ||||||||||
| Website | Lilabari Airport | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  IXI Location within Assam  IXI Location within India | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (April 2025 - March 2026) | |||||||||||
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| Source: AAI[1][2][3] | |||||||||||
Lilabari Airport (IATA: IXI, ICAO: VELR), also known as North Lakhimpur Airport, is a domestic airport serving the city of North Lakhimpur in Assam, India. It is located at Lilabari, 8 km (5.0 mi) north from the city centre.
History
The Lilabari airport project in Lakhimpur began following hectic campaigning and lobbying by local Member of Parliament (MP), Dr Ranee Narah from 1999 to 2003.[4] Construction of the airport had finished by 2003, and the terminal was inaugurated by then Union Civil Aviation Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain.[4][5]
Lilabari Airfield has a little-known but significant history as a forward operating base for the Indian Air Force. During the 1962 Sino-Indian War and in the decades that followed, the IAF used the airfield for airlift, surveillance, and logistical support in the Northeast frontier. Its proximity to strategic regions made it a quiet but vital asset, particularly during operations in Arunachal Pradesh.[6]
Current status
- The airport is equipped with a night landing facility, and the runway is being modified to operate larger aircraft.[7]
Airlines and destinations
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Alliance Air | Guwahati, Kolkata, Shillong,[8] Tezpur[9] |
Statistics
See also
References
- ↑ Annexure III: Airport-wise Passenger Traffic Statistics for March 2026 (PDF) (Report). Airports Authority of India. April 2026. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ Annexure II: Airport-wise Aircraft Movement Statistics for March 2026 (PDF) (Report). Airports Authority of India. April 2026. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ Annexure IV: Airport-wise Freight Traffic Statistics for March 2026 (PDF) (Report). Airports Authority of India. April 2026. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- 1 2 "N Lakhimpur upbeat over increased flights". Assam Tribune. Archived from the original on 30 May 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ↑ "Lilabari Airport". lakhimpur.nic.in. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ↑ Gupta, Anchit (9 April 2023). "Wings Over Lilabari: IAF's Historic Links to Assam's Airfield". IAFHistory. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
- ↑ "Assam: Lilabari Airport to Get Country's 4th Aviation Hub".
- ↑ "Three new flights connecting Assam, Arunachal, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram launched; check schedule". Times Now. 30 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ↑ "Three new flights connecting Assam, Arunachal, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram launched; check schedule". Times Now. 30 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
External links
Media related to Lilabari Airport at Wikimedia Commons