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:
- You also know well. Six decades back a small plane had flown from here. You had to wait for six decades for the airport.
- For the past four years, a government minister visits the north-east. You are witnessing the result of this effort.
- A lot of work is happening in the northeast for the first time since independence. In some places airports, railways, and even electricity reached for the first time.
- After independence till 2014, there were 65 airports, But last year alone, 9 airports became operational.
#WATCH Sikkim: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Pakyong Airport near Gangtok. https://t.co/yGSlhAxysN
- ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2018
SpiceJet followed it by conducting test runs of the 78-seater Bombardier Q400 from Kolkata to Pakyong on March 10. This led to security clearances for commercial operations, they said.
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.
Serene and splendid!
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 23, 2018
Clicked these pictures on the way to Sikkim. Enchanting and incredible! #IncredibleIndia pic.twitter.com/OWKcc93Sb1
