Built as the Northeast's first greenfield hill airport and inaugurated by PM Modi in 2018 as an engineering showpiece, Pakyong has repeatedly gone dark on scheduled commercial service. The Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed to Parliament that no scheduled flights operated from the airport since June 2024, with an MP describing it as "totally non-operational" since May 2024, despite the runway remaining licensed.
On record
The official record states: "Ministry of Civil Aviation stated "airline companies are free to decide on routes and markets based on their commercial and operational viability," citing weather limitations and no pending airline applications to restart scheduled flights."
Filed as "Ghost infrastructure (no flights)" and dated to Inaugurated 2018, this entry sits under the "Approx ₹179-605 crore (construction; sources vary on scope included)" line of the public accounts.
What to expect
- A terminal built for a passenger rush that never boarded.
- A departures board with more staff than flights, most days none of either.
- A conveyor belt kept in working order out of sheer optimism.
- A runway whose length remains a subject of expert disagreement.
Sourcing
2 public sources — news reports, RTI replies and civic archives — corroborate this entry. The citation trail is listed below for anyone who would like to follow up with the department concerned.
“The feasibility study found it feasible, which remains its only confirmed achievement.”— Blunderlust Editorial Desk
Sources
- https://www.sentinelassam.com/north-east-india-news/sikkim-news/no-scheduled-flights-operated-from-sikkim-airport-since-june-says-ministry
- https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/pathankot-ludhiana-shimla-among-15-udan-airports-with-no-flight-operation/
Visitor reviews
“Followed the signboards until they ran out. Every visit, the only new thing is a fresh coat of paint on the hoarding.”
“Read about it in the paper years ago and finally made the trip. The scale of the ambition is matched only by the scale of the pause.”
“Cycled past it every morning for a week before stopping to look properly. It is the most honest thing in Pakyong, in its way.”