Arunachal Minister Seeks Faster Airport Upgrade for Better Connectivity

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ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Civil Aviation, Urban Affairs and Land Management Minister Balo Raja has emphasised the urgent need for the early completion of the permanent terminal building at Donyi Polo Airport in Hollongi, near here.

Raja, who met union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu at New Delhi on Monday, discussed pressing issues related to the state’s aviation infrastructure and services.

Despite being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 19, 2022, the airport continues to operate from a temporary terminal, the minister pointed out, to which Airport Authority of India (AAI) officials present during the meeting assured that the new terminal building would be completed and operational by June this year.

Raja also addressed the need for improved flight connectivity and requested the minister for the introduction of daily morning and evening flights between Itanagar and Delhi, direct connecting flights from Kolkata to Delhi and other major cities, and the extension of flight services to the southern parts of the country via Guwahati, an official statement said here on Tuesday. He also raised concerns about excessively high airfare rates.

Naidu assured that new flight routes to the southern regions would be introduced alongside the inauguration of the new terminal. Regarding high airfare rates, he mentioned that Union Minister Kiren Rijiju had raised the concern in a recent cabinet meeting, and Prime Minister Modi’s intervention had been sought. The discussion further included infrastructure and security matters at airports.

Raja requested the inclusion of an aerobridge in Arunachal Pradesh’s master plan up to 2047, to which Naidu directed the Member (Planning) to ensure its incorporation. He also urged the early construction of bachelor barracks and the deployment of CISF personnel at the airport.

Currently, state police personnel are providing security due to the lack of CISF deployment. The absence of accommodation facilities forces them to travel 25 km from the state capital, Raja pointed out. In response, Naidu directed the AAI to expedite the construction of barracks and facilitate CISF deployment. During the discussion, Raja highlighted the challenges at Tezu Airport in Lohit district of the northeastern state, which operates under Visual Flight Rules (VFR).

Due to the absence of an Instrument Landing System (ILS), frequent flight cancellations have affected passenger reliability and connectivity in the eastern region of the state, he said and urged the minister for early installation of ILS and proposed an extension of the runway to accommodate larger aircraft such as the Airbus A320. Naidu, however, agreed to look into these concerns.

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