Silchar airport to get night landing facility by March

Silchar, Dec 7 (UNI) Silchar airport in Asom will get night landing facility from March next year.

Extension work of runway was going on in full swing for this strategically important airport in south Assam.

Official sources today said the programme for the much-awaited night landing facility was revealed during a district-level meeting on security affairs here yesterday.

While Cachar DC Goutom Ganguli directed all the concerned officials to ensure that all public and private installations are removed from the acquired land for smooth and speedy progress of the extension work of the runway, Air Force's Kumbhirgram station commander Alok Kumar apprised the meeting of the progress of the same.

Runway of the Air Force-manned airport will be extended up to 7,500 ft from the present 5,857 ft.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Santosh Mohan Dev along with other Air Force and civil officials early this week visited the airport and took stock of progress of the work for extension of runway.

Mr Dev said so far 60 per cent of work had been completed and it hoped it would be over by March next. When completed the airport will get night landing facility, he added.

The Union Minister said the neighbouring tea gardens were causing obstruction in course of runway extension by denying handing over of land. However, the district administration and some of the Asom Ministers as well as tea union leaders had been asked to sort out the matter, he said.

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