- Develop civil terminal infrastructure of more ALGs: DyCM
From Our Correspondent
TEZU, Sep 24: Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who dedicated new terminal building of Tezu Airport here on Sunday, termed it as a historic day for Arunachal Pradesh with Tezu Airport becoming fourth airport in the state after Doni- Polo Airport, Pasighat and Zero and boasts of second terminal after Hollongi’s Doni-Polo Airport.
Clad in traditional Mishmi attires, he said that he feels blessed on arriving here as Arunachal boasts of natural beauty and beautiful people and appreciated the rich culture and hospitality extended to him. Tezu Airport, located 80-km aerial distance away from international border of Tibet, is strategically important to India, he said in presence of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein.
“The number of aircraft movements at Tezu Airport will significantly increase with the construction of a permanent terminal. Other goods and passengers cargo planes, including of Indigo are expected to land,” he said and announced direct flight from Doni-Polo Airport to Delhi and Tezu to Kolkota via Rupsi.
The Tezu Airport is 149 Airport of India which has tremendous scope to promote tourism industry, particularly religious tourism, export of horticulture & agriculture products and boost regional economy, he said, adding the airport has been developed on 212 acre of land by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and is capable of handling operations of ATR-72-type aircrafts.
The newly-developed infrastructure includes an extended runway, a new apron, a new terminal building, a fire station and an ATC tower built at a cost of Rs 170 crore, he informed.
Arunachal Pradesh development has already achieved significant strides and will continue to soar greater heights under double-engine Govt of PM Narendra Modi and CM Pema Khandu, he said and added that 75 new airports have been built in India, adding to total of 137 airports, along with 17 airports in North East India and 4 airports (including ALGs) in Arunachal Pradesh that were constructed in the past nine years in nine years of Modi Govt.
He termed NE as ‘HIRA’ (diamond) of India, saying HIRA stands for Highway, Internet, Railway and Aviation and reiterated that PM Modi’s commitment of making it a new engine of growth for India. He further said that The NE region will become the gateway of India in future for its huge potential for trade, agri & horticulture produces.
Scindia also took a tour of the Mekelang village in Tezu on foot and inspected several infrastructure projects and schemes, like PMGSY road, PM-AWAJ Yojana and Har Ghar Jal Yojana under JJM. He also distributed Ayushman Bharat Health cards to beneficiaries and interacted with the children of anganwadi centre and beneficiaries of various welfare schemes in the area.
The airport works started in 2014 and was operationalised in 2018 under regional connectivity scheme UDAN. It is at present connected to Dibrugarh by Alliance Air and Imphal-Guwahati by Flybig Airlines. With these developments, the terminal building has an area of 4,000 sqm with a peak-hour capacity of 300 passengers. It has five check-in counters and will be increased to eight in future. The airport has two arrival carrousels and two aircraft parking bays for ATR-72-type aircrafts, AAI officials added.
Mein, in his address, stressed that Tezu Airport holds immense importance due to its strategic location, connecting many tourist destinations, like Dong Valley, Mayodia, Parshuram Kund, Namdapha Tiger Reserve and Bhismaknagar.
Reflecting on history of Tezu Airport, Mein said that it has undergone a long journey. Initially built during 1963-67, the airport was operated by Indian Air Force until 2004. Subsequently, it was transferred to Airport Authority of India, but remained inactive for civil operations. He also mentioned that during 1985-86, the AAI, which built a temporary civil terminal building, utilized by Indian Airlines D-27 (Fokker) 25-seater aircrafts connecting Mohanbari to Tezu.
The civil terminal building at Walong has also been completed, while works at Tuting and Mechukha ALGs are currently in progress, Mein said, adding that the state Govt has invested total Rs 229 crore in civil aviation sector over last seven years.
He also appealed to Civil Aviation Ministry of to provide and facilitate the installation of necessary navigational equipment, like ILS, very high-frequency omni range (VOR) approach, distance measuring equipment (DME) etc. at Tezu and Pasighat Airports to ensure seamless all-weather flight operations.
Mein sought the Ministry’s intervention to extend support for development of civil terminal infrastructure at Vijaynagar ALG, establishment of ALGs at Alinye, near Anini in Dibang Valley district and at Zimthung, Dirang. The operationalisation of these ALGs would serve for both defense and civilian needs, he added.
Rajya Sabha member Nabam Rebia, Lok Sabha member Tapir Gao, state Tourism & Civil Aviation Minister Nakap Nalo and local MLA Karikho Kri also addressed the gathering including MLAs Chau Zingnu Namchoom (Namsai) & Dasanglu Pul (Hayuliang), Union Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam, state home principal secretary Kaling Tayeng, Lohit DC & SP, public leaders, Gaonburas, AAI and Army officials. (With PRO inputs)
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