Union minister of Civil Aviation and Steel, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia inaugurated the new Terminal Building at Dehradun Airport virtually from New Delhi recently. Puskar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister, Uttarakhand also joined the event from Dehradun.

Scindia said, “The construction of the New Terminal Building was planned in two phases to provide uninterrupted operations at the Airport. After the operationalization of the first phase of the Terminal measuring 28,729 sqm, and second phase measuring 14,047 sqm, the overall area of the Terminal has expanded to 42,776 sqm. This way the overall capacity has gone up by ten times.”

“Government is upgrading 3 airports in Uttarakhand i.e. Dehradun, Pant Nagar, Pithoragarh and 7 heliports have been started including Almora, Chinyalisaur, Gauchar, Sahastradhara, New Tehri, Srinagar, and Haldwani Heliports. Development of Dharchula, Haridwar, Joshimath, Mussoorie, Nainital, and Ramnagar heliports is also being done. The number of heliports will be increased to 21 in the upcoming years,” the Minister added.

The airport will act as a center that will connect the other parts of Uttarakhand. Dehradun had air connectivity only with 3 destinations in 2004, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the city is now connected to 13 destinations. In 2014 the airport had only 46 flight movements per week, which has increased to currently to 200 flights, a growth of 130%.

Spread in an area of 326.42 acres it is also known as Jolly Grant Airport. Located 20 km from Rishikesh, and 35 km from Haridwar, the airport serves 10 Lakh passengers annually. It is also known as the Air Gateway of Garhwal and plays an important role in the tourism of Uttarakhand.

The terminal’s design is inspired by the local heritage and environment, with each element narrating a story of its own. With its focus on sustainability and local culture, the terminal is also equipped with all modern features and facilities, offering travelers a unique blend of tradition and modernity.

The columns supporting the canopy on the curbside are reminiscent of the Prayer Wheels of Buddhist monasteries. Inscribed with prayers from the Vedas, including the sacred Gayatri Mantra, these columns infuse a sense of tranquility and spirituality into the terminal’s ambiance. The terminal’s pillow-shaped roof design offers optimum height, making it energy-efficient.