Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday told the officials engaged in the construction of the greenfield airport at Hollongi near here, to complete the project by August 2022.
Khandu accompanied by state’s Civil Aviation Minister Nakap Nalo and a host of departmental officers and legislators took first-hand report of the ground facts of the maiden airport in the state capital.
“The project, foundation of which was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is our top-most priority. Please be informed that earlier the completion target was November 2022 which, has been changed to August 2022. Work accordingly,” Khandu said.
He assured that funds would not be a constraint for the completion of any work on time. Officials of the work departments like Power, PHE, PWD, and district administration gave details of works being executed by each like water supply, power, approach road, boundary wall, land acquisition, rehabilitation of displaced Chakma settlers.
Most of the works are under execution and the officials assured that by March next year all would be completed except for a few that would be executed after completion of works like boundary wall and approach road, official sources said here. The chief minister expressed concern over the slow progress of actual work on the runway and airport terminal. The project is being executed by Gujarat-based firm Dinesh Chandra R Agarwal Infracon Pvt Ltd.
Khandu told the Chief Project Manager of the firm Kaushal Patel that all assistance would be provided to the firm by the government. He urged him to speed up the construction process.
“You have got five months of the best working season now. Make full use of it. Work day and night. You have got all our support and cooperation,” he said, adding that he would personally monitor the progress of work by visiting the site from time to time.
As the airport site lies along the Assam-Arunachal boundary and some land have to be acquired also from the Assam side, Khandu said, adding that he would soon have a talk in this regard with his Assam counterpart.
“As both Arunachal and Assam will benefit from the airport, we will coordinate with Assam government in successful completion of the project,” he said.
Khandu also visited the rehabilitation site of the 186 displaced Chakma families and interacted with them. He assured them assistance, especially in resolving the drinking water issue, which is under progress. As a temporary solution, water is being supplied through bore wells at the moment.
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