It is located on the banks of River Alaknanda in the hills of Himalayas. It is very important airport during emergencies. Because of its location on one of the largest pieces of flatland in the mountainous region of Uttarakhand, a 4,000 ft airstrip was constructed at Gauchar in 1998–2000 and later upgraded. Gauchar Airport was a vital staging area for rescue and relief efforts following the disastrous 2013 North India floods which ravaged in Uttarakhand in June 2013.