AAI team choose site for airport construction

Itanagar, Mar 10: The dream of putting Arunachal's capital in the air map of the country would turn into a reality soon with the near finalization of a site by a high level team from Airport Authority of India (AAI) yesterday.

The team headed by its executive director (planning) T K Das called on Chief Minister Gegong Apang and informed him that they had an aerial survey of the entire periphery of the state capital and zeroed down to upper side of NH 52 A in Banderdewa-Karsingsa area for the purpose. The chief minister had given them go ahead signal for the project, official sources informed today.

Besides other team members, general manager (engineering) G K Chaukiyal, GM (aerodromes) S N Ray and deputy GM (planning) J P Alex, state's civil aviation secretary Tape Bagra and civil aviation director B Abraham were present during the briefing.

''It is high time the state capital should have an airport'', Apang said, while expressing his happiness over the survey outcome.

Das also informed the chief minister that they had called on the state Governor S K Singh yesterday and apprised him of the development, besides holding thorough discussion with the high level officers, including one under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Tabom Bam after conducting spot verification of the area.

''Go ahead for the needful as the land-locked state would be immensely benefitted by air connectivity'', Apang told them approvingly, the sources added.

The much needed airport with a 4 km length and 2 km breadth would initially accomodate ATR fixed wing airplanes and its modular construction and operation would facilitate landing of Boeing to meet the growing demands in future. The development comes after the personal initiative of state governor and the chief minister to fulfill one of the long pending demands of the state.

While assuring to extend all possible help to the team, the chief secretary directed the officers concerned to take up their respective jobs, including cadastral survey for expediting the project, sources added.

UNI