On its inauguration, CM Shri Sai took the first flight from Bilasa Devi Airport to Raipur
Raipur, 30 March, 2026/
Night operations and all weather flight capability services have been launched at Bilaspur’s Bilasa Devi Airport, making a historic development for the region. Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai inaugurated the enhanced air connectivity and took the first flight to Raipur on Sunday evening, accompanied by MLA Shri Dharamjit Singh
Marking a major leap in regional air connectivity and an infrastructure, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai said, “The transition to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) category has effectively resolved many challenges, ushering in a new era of reliable and uninterrupted air travel for Bilaspur.”
Inaugural was done in presence of key dignitaries including Union Minister of State Shri Tokhan Sahu, and MLAs including Shri Dharamlal Kaushik, Shri Amar Agrawal, Shri Sushant Shukla, Mayor Smt. Pooja Vidhani, Divisional Commissioner Shri Sunil Jain, IG Shri Ram Gopal Garg, Collector Shri Sanjay Agrawal, SSP Shri Rajnesh Singh and Airport Director Shri N Virendra Singh.
As per information, the airport has been officially upgraded to the 3C IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) category developed at a cost of about Rs 31 crore, allowing night operations and all-weather flight capability, following final approval by the DGCA on February 6, 2026.
With this upgrade, the airport is now equipped to handle scheduled and non-scheduled flights round-the-clock, including critical emergency and medical services at night, significantly improving response times and saving lives. The enhanced connectivity is expected to boost trade, tourism, investment, and overall regional development.
Discussing the challenges and outcome, state aviation authorities said that Bilaspur Airport faced significant operational challenges under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), where flights required high minimum visibility. This led to frequent cancellations and diversions during low-visibility conditions, disrupting regular air services and reducing reliability for passengers.
To address this, the airport was upgraded to Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) capability with advanced systems like DVOR and DME installed by the Airports Authority of India, along with improved runway, taxiway, apron, and approach lighting. The runway strip was also widened from 140 meters to 280 meters, resulting in safer, more reliable, and all-weather flight operations.