Countries’ 100th Functional Airport

Question- India’s 100th Functional Airport will be –
(a) Mopa Airport
(b) Pakyong Airport
(c) Sabarimala Airport
(d) Durgapur Airport
Answer: (b) 
Related Fact:

  • On 4th May, 2018, Pakyong Airport of Sikkim got license to start the operation Airline services.
  • The operation is scheduled to start in June 2018 at this air base.
  • Once commissioned, it will be the 100th functional airport in the country.
  • As on date, Sikkim is the only state in the country without a functional airport.
  • Various categories of aircraft of the IAF will be able to operate from the new airport in Sikkim which shares borders with China.
  • The government has been focusing on improving infrastructure along the borders with China as part of a broader policy initiative.
  • The Greenfield airport, which is around 60 KM from the Sino-India border, received the aerodrome license from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for commercial operations.
  • The airport was approved by the Centre in 2008 and was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore. The project is being billed as an engineering marvel — it has been built at an height of 4,500 feet in an inhospitable terrain.
  • Low-cost airline SpiceJet has been granted permission to fly to Pakyong from Kolkata under the Civil Aviation Ministry’s regional connectivity scheme.
  • SpiceJet has already conducted a dry run at the airport with one its Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 aircraft successfully landing there on March 5.
  • Also in March, A Dornier 228 of the Indian Air Force landed at the airport.
  • The nearest Bagdogra airport in West Bengal is about 150 km from Gangtok and air passengers have to take the road after alighting there.

Reference:
https://twitter.com/sureshpprabhu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fm.dailyhunt.in%2Fnews%2Findia%2Fhindi%2Fnews%2Bworld%2Bhindi-epaper-newsworh%2Fsikkim%2Bme%2Bshuru%2Bhoga%2Bdesh%2Bka%2B100va%2Beyaraport%2Bviman%2Bsevao%2Bke%2Blie%2Bmila%2Blaisens-newsid-87190706
http://www.ptinews.com/news/9705986_Strategic-airport-in-Sikkim-to-be-inaugurated-soon.html
https://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/hindi/news+world+hindi-epaper-newsworh/sikkim+me+shuru+hoga+desh+ka+100va+eyaraport+viman+sevao+ke+lie+mila+laisens-newsid-87190706