SHILLONG, July 24 � To improve air connectivity, the Centre has approved three greenfield airports in the North-east, an official statement said today, reports PTI.
The one at Pakyong in Sikkim is already under construction at a cost of Rs 264 crore, while the other two will be at Itanagar and Cheithu (Nagaland), it said.
Besides, the viability gap funding to Alliance Air for providing air services in the NE region has been approved for the years 2010 and 2011 at a cost of Rs 94.14 crore.
The development of Tezu airport, at a cost of Rs 79.00 crore, has been approved during 2009-10, the statement said adding that the project is being implemented by the Airports Authority of India and is expected to be ready by March 2012.
�So far, about 596 km length has been completed during the year 2009-10. About 2319 km of roads and highways have been developed in Arunachal Pradesh. Bids have already been received for four projects with a total length of 776 km to be awarded shortly. The Trans-Arunachal Highway forms an important part of this initiative,� the statement added.
It said the mega rail-cum-road bridge at Bogibeel over river Brahmaputra which has been taken up will provide an important link between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
�Conversion of the metre gauge routes - Lumding-Silchar-Jiribam, Badarpur-Kumarghat and Rangiya-Murkongselek - to broad gauge is being done on priority. The capital cities of the NE states are getting progressively connected by rail. Guwahati and Agartala are already connected. Projects for connecting the capitals of Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh have been taken up,� it said.
The construction of the Assam gas cracker project, which is expected to generate substantial downstream investment and employment in the region, is in full swing and Rs 744 crore has been spent till March.
The project is scheduled for completion in April 2012, the statement added.
