Safdarjung Airport

Safdarjung Airport in New Delhi, was established during the British Raj as Willingdon Airfield. It started operations as an aerodrome in 1929, when it was India's second airport after the Juhu Aerodrome in Mumbai. 

In 2001, after 9/11 the Ministry of Home Affairs decided to use the airport as the emergency getaway for the President and the PM. Thereafter in 2002, for security considerations, the government closed the airport for all public flying activities, and all Delhi Flying Club (DFC) flights were shifted to Hisar Airport.Since then, the airport is largely being used for VVIP helicopter transit to the Indira Gandhi International Airport for security reasons and also to avoid blocking vehicular traffic during the process. Since the early 2000s, when going on foreign trip, the PM receives his send-offs from his cabinet members and other dignitaries here, instead of the main airport.The airstrip is also used for small aircraft of state chief ministers such as those of Punjab and Haryana, making it to 80 to 90 helicopter movements every month and occasionally by Airport Authority of India, and Helicopter service company, Pawan Hans.