Jharkhand gets 2nd international airport in Deogarh| 5 things to know

The foundation stone of the Deogarh airport was laid by Prime Minister Modi on May 25, 2018. It is spread over an area of 657 acres and has been constructed at the cost of ₹400 crore.

Prime minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the Jharkhand's Deogarh airport in the presence of chief minister Hemant Soren. This will be the second international airport in the state after the one in capital Ranchi.

A view of the newly-inaugurated Deoghar Airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Deoghar. (CMO Jharkhand)

During the ceremony today, the prime minister also flagged off a domestic flight - an IndiGo service to Kolkata. Addressing the gathering, the PM said, "We had dreamt of Deoghar airport for a long time, it's being fulfilled now." Soren said, "The dream of this airport has been fulfilled by PM Modi. It's a matter of pride for us."

Here are five things to know about the airport:

1. The foundation stone was laid by prime minister Modi on May 25, 2018.

2. The airport is spread over 657 acres and was constructed at a cost of ₹400 crore. It will improve direct connectivity to Baba Baidyanath Dham - an important religious destination.

3. The airport is equipped to handle over five lakh passengers annually.

Deoghar airport pictures: ₹400 crore facility spread across 657 acres

4. It has a 2,500-metre-long runway that can handle Airbus A320 planes.

5. Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who was also present for the inauguration, said the Deogarh airport would be linked to Ranchi, Patna and Delhi in the days to come.