A test flight operated by budget carrier IndiGo today landed successfully at the newly-constructed Donyi Polo Airport near Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, ahead of the airport's official inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 28.
Two water cannons greeted the Airbus A320 aircraft after it landed at India's newest airport.
Developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at a cost of Rs 645 crore, Donyi Polo Airport is a greenfield facility with eight check-in counters. It has 2,300 metres of runway and is suitable for operating large aircraft like Boeing 747. With a total area of 4,100 square metres, the airport is equipped with all modern facilities for passengers, officials said.
Arunachal Pradesh now has two operational airports, one at Pasighat and the other at Tezu. However, since both these airports are far away from state capital 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.
Commenting on the new airport, Chief Minister Pema Khandu tweeted: “It's so satisfying and fulfilling to see IndiGo flight making a successful test landing at Donyi Polo airport. Ensuring better connectivity to our people is a top priority of my government. Rest assured, we'll ensure we've many more flights from Itanagar.”
Arunachal's Home Minister, Bameng Felix, who was present at the airport today, termed the test landing a “long-cherished dream of the people of the state”. He tweeted: “A milestone moment indeed! Congratulations to all.”
On April 27, 2017, the Prime Minister had launched the first flight under the Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik, or UDAN, scheme. The initiative aims to connect small and medium cities with big cities through air services. The Pasighat and Tezu airports in Arunachal Pradesh now operate flights under the UDAN scheme.
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