Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated, the spanking new Donyi Polo airport, the first Greenfield facility in border state of Arunachal Pradesh.
The airport located at Hollongi, around 15 kilometres from the state capital Itanagar, will link the border state with other Indian cities with commercial flights as well as other parts of Arunachal Pradesh through helicopter services.
The airport's foundation stone was laid by Modi on February 2019.
The Greenfield airport was constructed by the Airports Authority of India at an estimated cost of Rs. 645 crore.
A Greenfield project means a new airport built from scratch in a new location.
The NH-415, which connects a four-lane road to the state capital Itanagar, provides direct access to the airport.
Arunachal Pradesh's ancient indigenous devotion for the Sun (known as "Donyi") and the Moon (known as "Polo") are reflected in the airport's name, an official statement said.
With the addition of Donyi Polo Airport, Arunachal Pradesh will have three operational airports, bringing the region's total number of airports in the North-East up to 16.
The Greenfield airport would also be the first airport in Arunachal Pradesh to receive the A-320/B-737 aircraft types, which have a carrying capacity of 180 people.
Taking into account the possibilities for trade, tourism, and improved connectivity, it will serve the requirements of the state's capital Itanagar as well as the surrounding regions of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
This will be strategically significant, encourage regional economic growth, and assist provide aid to impacted communities much more quickly in the event of any natural disasters. It has an Instrument Landing System (ILS) and night landing capabilities with a CAT-I system for use in limited visibility.
To support aviation operations, there is a Met observation centre nearby. The DGCA has furthermore given an aerodrome licence for IFR operations throughout the day.
The passenger terminal has been constructed in an area of around 3500 square metres and is modularly designed to handle 300 people during peak hours with a 2300 m long runway.
Moreover, Arunachal Pradesh is now connected to 12 locations across the nation as a result of increased connectivity.
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