Credit: ysirzamiu
History of Safdarjung Airport
Safdarjung Airport, also known as Willingdon Airport, is an interesting airport that the majority of people don’t know. Established in 1929, it was the first airport in Delhi and the second airport in India after Juhu Aerodrome in Mumbai.
Before independence, the British made use of the airport to conduct operations in the Second World War. It was part of the South Atlantic air ferry route. But as the urban population of the city grew with time and the size of the airport increased, the airport couldn’t handle the load of new changes. Palam airport took the place of the capital’s air operations by the 1960s and later took the name of Indira Gandhi International Airport, which we know today.
Since then, the airport has reduced to VVIP moments and closed to public flying activities. It started functioning as a transit airport for important dignitaries who were going to Indira Gandhi International Airport. Chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana had made use of the air facilities of Safdarjung airport.
In the Commonwealth Games, the space of the airport was used as a parking facility for people going toward Jawarharlal Nehru Stadium.
A special road connects from the Prime Minister’s residence, 7 RCR, now known as Lok Kalyan Marg, to Safadarjung Airport. an escape route to the Prime Minister in case of any emergency arises.
Playing so many different roles, Safdarjung airport houses many important administrative buildings, which play an important role in the aviation of India. The airport authority of India that functions under the ministry of civil aviation has its headquarters here. Similary, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation have their headquarters in the administrative block and opposite the airport, respectively.
Maps and Location
Address: Metro station, Sri Aurobindo Marg, near Jorbagh, Safdarjung Airport Area, Satya Sadan, New Delhi, Delhi 110003