Donyi Polo Airport, the first greenfield airport in Arunachal Pradesh, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow.
This will be the third operational airport in Arunachal Pradesh and the first in state capital Itanagar, taking the total number of airports in the Northeast to 16.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, the new airport is suitable for day operations under any weather condition.
The new airport has 2,300 metres of runway and is suitable for operating large, wide-bodied aircraft like Boeing 747.
The name of the airport, Donyi Polo, reflects the traditions and rich cultural heritage of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh currently has two airports, one at Pasighat and the other at Tezu. However, since both these airports are far away from Itanagar, passengers have to travel for six to ten hours to take flights from either Dibrugarh or Guwahati in Assam.
Now, Donyi Polo Airport will help ease connectivity and boost tourism in the state, officials said.
The foundation stone was laid by Mr Modi in February, 2019. In spite of the pandemic and other challenges, work was completed within a short span of time.
The new airport is equipped with advanced passenger amenities
The name of the airport reflects the traditions and rich cultural heritage of Arunachal Pradesh and its age-old indigenous reverence to the Sun (Donyi) and Moon (Polo).
This is the seventh airport to have been built in the Northeast in the last eight years. This rapid development of airports in the region is in keeping with the government's emphasis on increasing connectivity.
The new airport is the first in Itanagar
Aircraft movement in the Northeast has increased by 113 per cent in the last eight years, from 852 flights per week in 2014 to 1,817 flights per week in 2022, according to official figures.
Donyi Polo Airport has been developed over an area of 690 acres of land at a cost of more than Rs 640 crore.
Donyi Polo Airport has been developed over an area of 690 acres at a cost of more than Rs 640 crore
On October 28, a test flight operated by budget carrier IndiGo had landed at the newly-constructed facility.
Developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Donyi Polo Airport has eight check-in counters. With a total area of 4,100 square metres, the airport is equipped with all modern facilities for passengers, officials said.
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