Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki inspected the heliport at Naharlagun which was proposed to be converted into short take-off and landing (STOL) airport.
Tuki inspected the heliport at Naharlagun on Friday.
The proposal was taken last year to facilitate operation of fixed-wing aircrafts and improve the air connectivity of this land-locked state, official sources informed here on Saturday.
Arunachal Pradesh is the only state in the country without an airport.
Tuki during his tenure as PWD & UD Minister had obtained assurance from then Union Civil Aviation Minister Valayar Ravi in June 17 last year in this regard besides promise to introduce direct flight from New Delhi to Lilabari for the convenience of people of his state.
Tuki, in a memorandum, had requested the Union minister to convert the Naharlagun heliport into STOL port and introduce direct flights from New Delhi to Lilabari via Guwahati.
State’s civil aviation department sources informed that a proposal for STOL was submitted to DGCA in November 2011 and resubmitted in August last by fulfilling the query to send an inspection team to facilitate clearance of the proposal for preparing estimate.
According to sources, Tuki had a discussion with NE Shuttles’ director Captain Shoba Kumar Moni, presently operating 18-seater fixed wing aircraft in North Eastern region, urging her to venture into the state.
Besides Naharlagun, fixed wing aircraft has been proposed to link Tawang, Mechuka, Wallong, Vijoynagar, Tezu, Pasighat, Ziro, and Daporijo, all advanced landing grounds (ALGs), being upgraded by the ministry of defence for defence and civilian use.
Tuki directed expeditious execution of the project once it is cleared.
The Chief Minister on Friday also inspected the ongoing projects, including the Civil Secretariat, Assembly building, MLAs’ apartment at Itanagar, Capital DC’s office at Naharlagun for the proposed mini secretariat complex and sector roads of the Capital Complex, sources informed.
Tuki agreed to place Rs 12 crore for widening and completion of the Jullung road, besides another Rs 25 crore this year for cement-concrete (CC) sector roads.
For construction of CC roads in the sectors the state government has already sanctioned Rs 25 crore last year, sources said.
To ease traffic congestion in Naharlagun, the CM agreed to construct a bridge near Pachin village to allow traffic flow from Naharlagun via Pachin-Papu villages and to the Jullung road.
He instructed the concerned officials to immediately prepare an estimate for the bridge that would be taken up under RIDF, sources added. (PTI)