Modi inaugurates Donyi Polo airport in Arunachal

Says Northeast Now 1st Priority, No Longer Last

- Prabin Kalita

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated on Saturday the Donyi Polo airport at Hollongi, the first greenfield airport in Arunachal Pradesh that borders China and Myanmar, and described the event as "the beginning of a new era of hope and opportunities" in the Northeast, a region that he said is the country's first priority now.

Built-in less than four years after Modi laid its foundation in February 2019 at Hollongi, at the foothills 25km from state capital Itanagar, this is the fourth operational commercial airport in the frontier state that also has six other airstrips for the military. Among them, two have a civil enclave to handle domestic traffic. Three of these defence airports are advanced landing grounds. With the one at Hollongi, the Northeast now has 16 operational commercial airports.

The Rs 640-crore Donyi Polo airport covers more than 690 acres, with a 2,300m runway kitted out with all-weather day operation systems and can handle Airbus A320/ Boeing 737 or similar aircraft.

Modi said there is a huge potential for cargo facilities in Arunachal and now farmers there will be able to easily sell their produce in markets outside and earn more money.