The airport located at Hollongi, near the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh will link the border state with other Indian cities with commercial flights as well as other parts of Arunachal Pradesh through helicopter services.
The Modi government has paid special emphasis on improving connectivity to, from and within the region. Till 2014, there were nine operational airports in the NE. Since then, thanks to the building of seven more operational airports, aircraft movement in the northeast has increased by 113% — from 852 per week in 2014 to 1,817 per week in 2022, said a government statement.
Locals had for a long time been seeking an airport for Arunachal’s capital and the plan for the same was conceived in 2005. But it was on February 9, 2019, that PM Modi laid the foundation stone. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) completed the project in time despite the Covid pandemic.
Built at a cost of Rs 645 crore, this airport can handle 300 passengers during peak hours and is equipped for all weather operations. Its 2.3-km-long runway will allow Airbus A320 and Boeing 737s to operate from here.
In a series of tweets, Arunachal CM Prema Khandu said the Donyi Polo Airport would ensure seamless connectivity and improve access to Itanagar, giving a boost to trade and tourism in the state. “It will have a catalytic impact on the economy of our state,” he said.