Surat May Lose Its Shine as Ankleshwar Airport Nears Takeoff

Surat, Gujarat –  Once hailed as the diamond city of India and a rising aviation hub, Surat is now at risk of losing its crown to Ankleshwar, a neighbouring industrial town in Bharuch district, as the long-awaited greenfield airport development gains serious momentum.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) recently made a stunning revelation—no additional land is required for expanding Surat Airport. The announcement has dealt a blow to Surat’s aviation aspirations, particularly as traffic congestion and expansion needs at the current facility remain unresolved.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat government’s Roads and Buildings Department confirmed that the first phase of the airstrip at Ankleshwar, near Amartpura village, has been successfully completed. Built at a cost of ₹105 crore, the 2,135-meter-long and 45-meter-wide runway is the fifth longest in Gujarat and is strategically located along National Highway 48.

AAI prepares master plans based on projected passenger growth and infrastructure needs. Land requirements are communicated to state governments, but as of now, AAI has not requested any further land for Surat Airport development. As per the National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016, the onus of providing land—free of cost and free from encumbrances—lies with the state government.Matters related to land reservation, de-reservation, and re-allotment to original landowners rest solely with the concerned state government.

In another development that raises alarming questions about aviation safety, four decades-old gas pipelines running beneath the Surat Airport runway have come under intense scrutiny. The 36-inch and 42-inch South Basin Hazira Trunk (SBHT) pipelines owned by ONGC have been flagged as potential hazards, with calls to immediately prevent aircraft from running or landing over them.

“This could change everything,” said Bhavesh Shah, a logistics operator based in Surat. “If Ankleshwar starts handling cargo and later passenger flights, it will divert business, passengers, and attention away from Surat. The government’s silence on Surat expansion is frustrating.”

Initially, the Ankleshwar airstrip will cater to cargo aircraft and small passenger planes. The development of an air traffic control (ATC) tower and other critical infrastructure is planned in the next phase. Notably, the absence of high-rise buildings around the airstrip ensures safer take-offs and landings—an advantage Surat Airport lacks due to increasing urbanization around its premises.

“It’s ironic,” says Rajesh Mehta, an aviation expert. “Surat, despite being a city with global reach in diamonds and textiles, is still struggling for runway expansion. Meanwhile, Ankleshwar, with far fewer logistical bottlenecks, is now taking the lead.”

The Bharuch airstrip project, originally conceived in 1993–94, had remained on paper for decades. It was only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in 2022 that construction picked up pace. Now, Boeing cargo aircraft tests are being planned, and local leaders are strongly advocating for passenger flight operations in the near future.

“We have waited nearly 30 years. This airport will boost the region’s economy and reduce pressure on Surat,” said Ramesh Patel, a local industrialist in Ankleshwar. “We hope commercial airlines are allowed to operate soon.”