GUWAHATI, Aug 30 - The Assam Government will construct a full-fledged cargo station near the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport , while, the Airports Authority of India will soon construct a new run way to make it a truly international standard airport.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary this morning had a detailed meeting with the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha on improving air connectivity not only in Assam but in the entire region and it was decided that the number of flights to different destinations would be increased as a part of the plan to augment air connectivity.
Talking to The Assam Tribune after the meeting, Patowary said that the Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) would implement the project of constructing a full-fledged cargo station near the airport, which is a must to give a boost to trade and commerce in the State. He said that the National Airports Authority of India has already allotted a plot of land for the construction of the cargo station. He said that a private party has already started construction of a cargo station, but the Government run station would be more beneficial for all.
Patowary revealed that the plan to upgrade the LGBI Airport was discussed in detail in the meeting and it was decided that the airport would be upgraded soon to a truly international standard airport. For that, a new run way will have to be constructed and the State Government would take all possible steps for land acquisition at the earliest so that the work can start soon. However, he admitted that only upgradation of the airport would not help Assam and both the Chief Minister and himself today urged upon the Union Minister to take immediate steps to resume international flights from the airport. The Assam Government is of the view that international flights to all the South Asian countries should be started from the LGBI Airport. That will also help the Government of India to implement its Act East Policy, he added.
The State Transport Minister said that as a part of improving regional connectivity, the State Government demanded increasing the number of flights from Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Tezpur, Silchar, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, etc. He said that the Union Minister has already accepted the demand for introduction of additional flights to Dibrugarh and Silchar and about the other routes, the Centre has assured to consider the demands favourably. The State Government further demanded that the airports at Rupshi and Ledo should be reopened with introduction of flights. The reopening of the Rupshi airport will connect that part of the State, while, flights to Ledo will be beneficial for the tea and coal industries, while, catering to the needs of the people of a part of Arunachal Pradesh, he added.
The Assam Government has also stressed the need for introduction of helicopter services to the hill districts of the State and also to the neighbouring states for augmenting regional connectivity.
