Arunachal: PM Modi inaugurates state's first greenfield airport 'Donyi Polo Airport'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 19 inaugurated the first greenfield airport of Arunachal Pradesh near the state capital Itanagar.

The Donyi Polo airport at Hollongi will boost connectivity, trade, and tourism in the hilly northeastern state.

The foundation stone of the said airport was laid in 2019 by PM Modi.

Prior to the inauguration, the state Chief Minister Pema Khandu inspected preparations for the PM's visit.

“No stone will be left unturned to make the occasion truly memorable,” Khandu said. The state government and the Airports Authority of India made seating arrangements for 10,000 people to witness the historic event of airport inauguration by PM Narendra Modi on November 19, he said.

The CM further said that the people of Arunachal will be benefitted as the state will be connected to major cities of the country.

The Hollongi terminal has a peak processing capacity of 200 passengers per hour and was built for around Rs 955 crore. It is 4100 sq m in size.

Over 690 acres have been used to create the airport, which has cost over 640 million rupees. The airport is excellent for daytime operations in all conditions because of its 2,300 m runway.

The airport terminal is a cutting-edge structure that supports resource recycling, renewable energy, and energy efficiency. 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.

An official statement claims that just nine airports were constructed in the Northeast between 1947 and 2014. The remaining seven were constructed throughout the past eight years.

It is worth mentioning that the airport is equipped with ILS and CAT-I lighting systems. Besides this, Indigo and flybig to operate flights from Hollongi.