GUWAHATI: Residents of western Assam districts bordering Garo Hills are eagerly looking forward to next month’s reopening of a World War II-era airport which has been in comatose for 36 years now.
Located about 13km off Dhubri town, Rupshi airport, being revived by the Airports Authority of India under the regional connectivity scheme (Udaan II), is scheduled to get functional next month. AAI had initiated construction work of the terminal building and strengthening and re-carpeting of the air strip from May 2018.
“It’s been a long wait. From next month onwards, we want to see aircraft land and take off from this historic facility, which was constructed by the British during World War II to supply arms, manpower, and ammunition to the allied forces. Flight services could be availed from Dhubri to Kolkata and even Dhaka via Guwahati aiport to start with,” B.K. Sharma, a resident of Dhubri town, told The Shillong Times on Thursday.
AAI sources said that the re-construction of the airport was nearing completion and that several critical air navigational and communication equipment have been installed inside the airport.
AAI has currently restricted entry of all tourists and visitors inside the airport premises in view of different critical installation works which are in progress at the airport.
Former BJP MLA and a resident of Dhubri, Dhruba Kumar Sen recalled how 21-seater aircraft such as Vayudoot used to take off from Rupsi airport to Kolkata prior to stoppage of operations in the early 1980s.
“It was very convenient for people in those days when the aircraft operated from Rupshi airport. As of now, it is learnt that aircraft would operate on the Guwahati-Rupsi-Guwahati route. Even as we are yet to know the frequency of flights, the fact that the facility is being revived is good news for residents of not just Dhubri but in the neighbouring districts of Mankachar-South Salmara and even parts of Goalpara and Garo Hills,” Sen said.
Businessmen and frequent travelers from western Assam will benefit the most from this move. The demand for revival of Rupshi airport had gained momentum over the past few years, especially from people from the western Assam districts and parts of Garo Hills.
“Since it will be under the regional connectivity scheme, flight fares would be limited to about Rs 2500 per passenger. But the economics apart, for someone in Tura which does not have an operational airport (Baljek), travelling to Guwahati airport with the present road link would be an easier proposition than taking a route the other way to Dhubri,” Tura resident, Chris K.A. Sangma, said.