Sikkim: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first airport in Sikkim at Pakyong today. PM Modi arrived in Sikkim on Sunday evening on a two-day visit to the state. The prime minister said the Sikkim airport will improve connectivity, benefiting the people of the state. Sikkim's dream of having an airport will come true nine years after a foundation stone of the greenfield airport was laid, around 33 km from Gangtok, in 2009. PM Modi reached Sikkim after launching the Ayushman Bharat- National Health Protection Mission from Ranchi on Sunday.
The airport is spread over 201 acres and is located on top of a hill about 2 km above Pakyong village at 4,500 feet above sea level, Sikkim Chief Secretary A K Srivastava said. The airport was constructed by the Airports Authority of India and at present, the nearest airport from Sikkim is located 124 km away in Bagdogra in West Bengal.
Here are the highlights of the Sikkim Airport inauguration:
Sep 24, 2018 12:12 (IST)
PM Modi in Sikkim: You also know well. Six decades back a small plane had flown from here. You had to wait for six decades for the airport.
Sep 24, 2018 12:09 (IST)
PM Modi: I want to congratulate all the engineers and workers who planned and built this airport.
Sep 24, 2018 12:08 (IST)
PM Narendra Modi: Pakyong airport is the symbol of our engineering skills
Sep 24, 2018 11:11 (IST)
PM Modi has arrived at the Pakyong Airport for inauguration.
Sep 24, 2018 09:17 (IST)
SpiceJet will operate 78-seater Bombardier Q400 flights to and fro Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati everyday under the Civil Aviation Ministry's Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme, Airport Director R Manjunatha said. UDAN aims at enhancing regional connectivity.
Mr Manjunatha said initially the airport would only cater to domestic flights, but later it will also provide international flight services connecting Sikkim with other countries like Paro in Bhutan, Kathmandu in Nepal and Dhaka in Bangladesh.
Sep 24, 2018 09:12 (IST)
The first commercial flight from Pakyong would begin from October 4, according to the Airport Director.
Sep 24, 2018 09:11 (IST)
Pakyong Airport Director R Manjunatha said the land for the airport was carved from the mountain side using massive geo technical 'cut and fill' engineering works.
Sep 24, 2018 08:30 (IST)
The airport has 3,000 sq metre terminal building and has a capacity to handle 50 in-bound and as many out-bound passengers.
Sep 24, 2018 08:27 (IST)
The Indian Air Force (IAF) would be able to land various types of aircraft on the airport's runway with the construction of another 75-metre stretch adjacent to the main runway in the coming days.