GUWAHATI, May 25 � Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International (LGBI) Airport is all set to receive jumbo jets soon. The existing runway of the airport has been extended to 10,000 feet to facilitate landing of bigger aircraft like Boeing 747.
The new extension is a part of the modernisation plan undertaken by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) which involves nearly Rs 60 crore. The runway will be opened for air traffic shortly.
LGBI Airport is the sixth busiest airport in the country in terms of volume of passengers. According to officials statistics, last year LGBI Airport witnessed a footfall of 13, 76,086. There are about 95 daily movements including landing and take off.
The growth of air traffic in the North East has increased aircraft movement per airport which, in turn, has necessitated an expansion of the capacity of airports or development of new airports.
In view of the soaring air traffic, sometimes aircraft have to remain midair for a long time due to lack of parking space. Increased passengers in the airport are apparently due to its proper connectivity. The airport is now connected to all major locations in the country probably due to which more and more people opt to fly from LGBI Airport.
�LGBI Airport has now become a focal point in the North East. Since it is connected with all major destinations in the country, the flow of passengers is increasing day by day,� highly-placed official sources told this correspondent today. To minimize the traffic congestion, he added that a new apron bay has been constructed to provide more parking spaces for aircraft. �We are in the process of introducing a modern air traffic control system that will further enhance the air traffic system. All these new initiatives are under the master plan of the AAI,� the sources added.
On fresh proposals, they informed that two air service providers- Akash Ganga and North East Shuttle are keen on operating their services from the airport and their proposals are under consideration. �We have sought permission from the State Government to acquire land for expansion of the airport,� they added.
The DoNER Ministry has also prepared a plan to boost air connectivity by upgrading the existing airports in the region .
With LGBI Airport being the main and only international airport in northeast India, there are 11 operational airports in the land-locked region, namely Tezpur, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Lilabari (all in Assam), Dimapur, Silchar, Agartala, Shillong, Lengpui (Aizawl) and Imphal apart from Bagdogra in the Himalayan foothills in West Bengal.
