Pakyong (East Sikkim): In less than a week, a number of new records would be set in Sikkim as the Pakyong airport would be formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23.

With the inauguration, the Himalayan state will set the record of finding a place in the aviation map of India.

The inauguration of Pakyong would also set another new record - it will be the hundredth operational airport in India.

Located at an elevation of 4,600 feet from the sea level, the airport is engineering excellence in itself.

The runway that was built on the mountainous terrain has a span of 1.7 kilometres and is 30 metres wide. Added to it, there is a taxiway, an apron and a fire station -cum - air traffic control tower.

The terminal building is spread over an area of 25,000 sq. ft. and can handle 100 passengers - 50 each on arrival and departure areas - and a car parking area that for 80 vehicles.

"We are all set to start commercial flight services at the airport. Preparations are in progress for formal inauguration that is scheduled for next Sunday," said R. Manjunatha, the airport director of Pakyong, on Tuesday.

SpiceJet is the first airline to start services. "That the flight services to Pakyong would be popular is evident from the trend of bookings. Though the flight service has not commenced formally, prices of tickets on the Calcutta-Pakyong route have started soaring," said a tour operator based in Gangtok.

Two Sikkim ministers, Ugyen Gyatso Bhutia (tourism and civil aviation) and D.T. Lepha (transport) visited the airport on Tuesday.

"We have been receiving inquiries from a number of airline companies, including the Druk Air in Bhutan. Given the trend of inquiries, there is a possibility that an international flight service might start from Pakyong from January," said Manjunatha.

The service, sources said, is likely to be between Pakyong and Paro in Bhutan. As of now, Druk operates a flight between Paro and Bangkok that touches Bagdogra.

AAI sources said they were also receiving queries for chartered flights in Pakyong.