Itanagar, (UNI) Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday inaugurated the new Terminal building at Tezu Airport in Arunachal Pradesh in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and a host of other dignitaries.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Union Minister announced that the Arunachal Pradesh capital, Itanagar will soon be connected to Assam’s Rupsi and Jorhat, and Delhi under the UDAN-5 scheme of the Government of India.
He also emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi regards Arunachal as the point from which the ‘Arun,’ meaning Sun, spreads to enter India, exemplifying ‘Atulniya’ Bharat. Scindia noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, not only has the number of airports increased phenomenally since 2014, but the country has also gained prominence on the global aviation map.
During the unveiling of the inauguration plaque, Scindia expressed his gratitude to the people of Arunachal Pradesh for their unwavering support in driving development in the state. He described Arunachal Pradesh, the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’, as the future ‘Gateway of Bharat,’ where horticultural exports are poised to flourish. Presently, the region’s fruits are reaching destinations as far as Germany, London, and Singapore.
He said that the Tezu Terminal building, constructed at a cost of Rs 170 crore on 212 acres of land, with a 1500-meter runway, is fully equipped to handle aircraft of the ATR-72 type. With Tezu now on the aerial map, the state has a total of four airports: Tezu, Ziro, Hollongi (Itanagar), and Pasighat. Tezu is currently connected to Imphal, Dibrugarh, and Guwahati.
He observed that India is progressing, as evidenced by the success of G20 and Chandrayaan-3, in addition to the expansion of aviation infrastructure to now encompass 149 airports. “What was once unimaginable, such as aircraft landings, is now a reality, and the entire nation is connected through Highways, Internet, Railways, and Aviation (HIRA). Many remote areas have gained prominence through the UDAN initiative, and Tezu is one of these success stories,” he said.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who is away in the national capital, said in a social media post that “with the inauguration of newly developed infrastructure at Tezu Airport, visiting Arunachal Pradesh will become even more convenient”.
The Secretary of Ministry of Civil Aviation, Vumlunmang Vualnam said that the Terminal building has the capacity to handle 300 passengers at present, with the potential for expansion to accommodate upto 1000 passengers in near future. “The government’s keen interest and support at the highest level have made it possible for this region to achieve air connectivity, which offers substantial opportunities for cargo, trade, and passenger travel,” he said.
Further, the Secretary encouraged the implementation of Prime Minister Modi’s ‘One District, One Product’ initiative in Arunachal and urged the youngsters, self-help groups, and women’s groups to utilise Tezu Airport as a launching pad for economic development in the region, saying Arunachal’s fruits, vegetables, flowers, and medicinal herbs have vast potential to reach global markets.
Among others, State’s Civil Aviation Minister Nakap Nalo, Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao and Rajya Sabha MP Nabam Rebia were present on the occasion.
