New Delhi: Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday got its first Greenfield airport and the third operational one as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Donyi Polo Airport at Itanagar. With this, Northeast India will now have a total of 16 airports. The foundation stone for this airport was laid by the PM in 2019.
Developed at a cost of more than 640 Crore, the airport will improve connectivity and act as a catalyst for the growth of trade and tourism in the region. Before the launch of the Donyi Polo Airport, two other towns of Arunachal Pradesh — Pasighat and Tezu — were linked under the UDAN scheme.
A new flight of Alliance Air will also start between Zero and Hollongi, which will reduce the hours-long journey to minutes. A new chapter of “Purvodaya” and development of civil aviation will begin in the North-East! Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said in a tweet. Scindia announced that direct flights between Zero and Hollongi will start from November 29.
Arunachal Pradesh’s latest airport gets its name from the age-old indigenous reverence to the Sun (‘Donyi’) and the Moon (‘Polo’) in the state. Speaking at the inauguration event, PM said, “After independence, northeast became witness to a different era. For decades, the region remained a victim of negligence…When Atal ji’s Government came, for the first time efforts were made to change this. It was the first government that made a separate ministry for northeast’s development.”
Arunachal Pradesh’s first greenfield airport
The Donyi Polo Airport is spread over an area of 690 acres and developed at a cost of over Rs 640 crore. It is expected to play a major role in improving connectivity and will also contribute to the growth of trade and tourism in the region, said Dilip Sajnani, Director, Airport Authority of India.
It boasts of a 2300 metre-long runway which is well suited for all weather day operations. The airport also has a modern building, which promotes energy efficiency, renewable energy and the recycling of resources.
The terminal at Hollongi has been constructed approximately at a cost of Rs 955 crore with an area of 4100 sq m and has a peak handling capacity of 200 passengers per hour, according to an official statement.
Last month, Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo successfully test-landed its flight at the Donyi Polo airport.
